Google Sets The Pace With Largest Corporate Solar Installation in the US
I got this information from Green Options. Search for "Largest corporate solar installation in the U.S." and you'll see Google pop up in the results. As of yesterday, the search engine giant became a lot less dependent on the grid by flipping the switch on nearly 9,212 solar panels. The output of more than 1.6 megawatts will serve up enough energy to power almost 1/3 of the campus. For some perspective, that's enough energy to power more than 1,000 homes!
Michael dEstries at Green Options points out that Google not content, however, to simply let a few thousand solar panels represent their green values, Google also unveiled a new parking garage specifically designed for plug-in-electric vehicles and hybrid cars. Employees can now charge while at work and hit the road freshly juiced afterwards. "Wait a minute," you say. "There aren't any commercial plug-in cars available yet!" And you're right. So, to address this issue, Google is also taking hybrid vehicles and converting them to plug-ins so that they can cruise along on only electricity for longer periods of time and at greater speeds. According to the article, they've so far converted four Toyota Prius and two Ford Escapes. Almost 100 such conversions are planned for employees to use as a car-share program while at work. Who are these guys?
Monday also marked the launch of Google's new philanthropic division, RechargeIT. The group has earmarked $10 million for investments in companies and projects that support alternative transportation that reduces the use of fossil fuels and emissions. You can also visit the site to see how the plug-in cars that Google has converted are performing.
To say this is encouraging would be a bit of an understatement. Would the rest of the corporate U.S. please pay attention? The future of business sustainability lies in example at Google HQ. We applaud their efforts and hope such green initiative become contagious nationwide.
Labels: News, Resourcful, Transportation
"100% Powered By Vegetable Oil" Bumper Sticker Gets a 1k Dollar Fine
If the Government could completely have it their way, they would lock you up for using anything other than their heavily taxed gasoline or diesel. If you don't believe take a look at this story from the Charlotte Observer.
Bob Teixeira decided it was time to take a stand against U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
"So last fall the Charlotte musician and guitar instructor spent $1,200 to convert his 1981 diesel Mercedes to run on vegetable oil. He bought soybean oil in 5-gallon jugs at Costco, spending about 30 percent more than diesel would cost.
His reward, from a state that heavily promotes alternative fuels: a $1,000 fine last month for not paying motor fuel taxes
He's been told to expect another $1,000 fine from the federal government.
And to legally use veggie oil, state officials told him, he would have to first post a $2,500 bond.
Teixeira is one of a growing number of fuel-it-yourselfers -- backyard brewers who recycle restaurant grease or make moonshine for their car tanks. They do it to save money, reduce pollution or thumb their noses at oil sheiks."
This story is too ridiculous to believe. the truth is we should be exempting people like this from oil taxes, not punishing them! Unfortunately, most state laws have strict penalties for those that do not partake from the traditional pump, and follow their strict LAWS. It’s almost like the Spanish Inquisition has come to the fuel industry. States understandably receive an immense amount of money from taxing fuel to help pay for road repair costs. Still, a $2,500 bond, $1,000 fine, and another $1K from the federal government? It’s enough to make any American think twice about making the switch. Then again, that’s probably the entire point.
Labels: activism, News, Question
OPEC says Bio-fuels Could Push Oil Prices Up
The head of the OPEC oil cartel just said that investing in biofuels could push oil prices “through the roof,” the UK’s Financial Times reported yesterday. OPEC secretary general Abdalla El-Badri had the nerve to say that moves to use biofuels would make his members consider cutting investment in oil production.
Even US Oil Tycoon Texas Cowboy/President Bush says the US will aim to cut its petrol use by 20 per cent in the next ten years, partly through increased use of biofuels. Opec members control about 40 per cent of the world’s oil production. El-Badri said that while OPEC members had so far maintained their investment plans, he added: “If we are unable to see a security of demand we may revisit investment in the long term.”
This warning comes as leaders of the G8 industrialized nations gather for their summit in Germany. Environmental issues are high on the agenda and the use of biofuels is central to the attempts of many G8 countries to cut their carbon emissions. Biofuels can be anything made with vegetable matter that burns.
The US is not the only nation that depends on Opecs oil, Gabrielle Reilly at Gift of Gab brings up that China alone is reshaping the global oil relationships in and of itself. This year China has become the second largest user of oil outside of the US surpassing Japan. As China’s economy grows and technology improves, the Chinese are setting aside their bikes for cars. Although it may still be two decades before many of the peasants laboring in the manufacturing sectors become consumers, with a population of well over 1 billion people, it would only take a small percentage of the population to consume as much as the U.S. does. Will this bring China into closer relations with the Middle East in preference to the U.S.? Only time will give us the sure answer to that question.
So OPEC is feeling the pressure? Let's see how they act when their is actual competition on the field. In my opinion, if the Americans paid what Europeans pay at the pumps for gasoline, they would drive less and be looking for way more alternative fuels and modes of transportation. Pushing the envelope further towards bio fuels, maybe even passing positive laws to help enforce them.
Labels: activism, News, Resourcful
