7 posts tagged “environment”

Coming to 500 lucky California residents before long.

Honda FCX Clarity - Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle - Official Web Site

http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clar...

This year won't be the end of the gas-powered vehicle. But Honda Motor Company's release of 500 hydrogen fuel-cell powered FCX Clarity's in California in 2008 could be the beginning of the end. What makes Honda's gambit significant is the corresponding release of its Home Energy Station Unit. Set the unit up in the yard, and it will use natural gas to produce enough Hydrogen to power your FCX Clarity and your home at around 50% of the normal cost and with a 30% reduction in emissions.
 
Its approach addresses the Catch-22 confronting every alternative-powered vehicle that's come down the pike: Without the fueling infrastructure, there's no incentive to buy a hydrogen-powered vehicle, and until hydrogen-powered vehicles become available there's no incentive to build the infrastructure.
 
By offering both, Honda could jump start demand for the Clarity, which is based on Honda's own V Flow fuel cell. The cell stack combines hydrogen with atmospheric gas to form chemical energy, which is then converted into electric power. The road to mass commercialization still stretches ahead, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are not the only alternative vying for attention.
 
Even so, getting the technology rolling on California highways will build important momentum for the fuel cell industry. And California is a strategic proving ground. In addition to $4/gallon gas prices, the state is willing to subsidize fuel cell energy stations to keep pressure off its electrical grid. That may give the Clarity an edge over plug-in hybrids. [Business Week]

Gary Hart offers us some great NY's resolutions for the USA: equal rights for all, respect for our constitutional guarantees, includeing habeas corpus, economic opportunity.... Well, you can read it.

Gary Hart: The National Interest and 2008 - The Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-ha...

There is something called the national interest. It is not an ideology. It is not the possession of a single cabal of self-appointed imperialists. It is not achieved by substituting consensus for principle. It is not "bipartisanship" for its own sake or in pursuit of bad policy. And it is not a euphemism for oil. Email Print Comment Our national interest is the product of more than two centuries of national history which constitutes an amalgam of colossal mistakes, most notably Iraq, and grand sacrifices and noble actions. It required a terrible civil war to establish that slavery was not in our national interest. It required a cold war to establish that alliance and collaboration was in our national interest. Oil dependence, climate change, nuclear proliferation, concentrated wealth, fear of terrorism, theocracy, empire, corruption in government, an arrogant and ignorant executive, and violation of civil liberties are not in our national interest. Equal rights for all, respect for our constitutional guarantees, including most notable habeas corpus, economic opportunity, regulation of market excess, our natural heritage and environment, fairness, justice, and checks and balanced government are all in our national interest.

I watched a couple of good environmental documentaries on the Documentary Channel and was trying to find a good graphic to include in a post. I really like these. Please share these with your friends who drive SUVs or other large fossil fuel polluters. Remember, they are harming the air you and your family breathe.

No, it's not Earth Day, but every day should be. If you can't afford to do much to help the environment, the least expensive things are to replace your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. I changed my most commonly used bulbs and my power bill dropped about $10 a month, and I live alone. That could mean higher savings for families.

Tiny

Jesus275w

Suvsuck275w

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What better incentive to live near where you work or to find a job that is near you. Oh course, wisecrack signs such as this only add to road rage.

With all the bad news that we hear of murder, terrorism, the war in Iraq, the spread of nuclear weapons, poverty, suffering, homelessness, hunger, disease, etc., it is often quite easy to get so discouraged by the events on the world stage to do anything. We feel helpless in the face of world events. I feel it. I know you do too.

I know that when I get personally discouraged, especially during the darkness of winter, that I literally have to start counting my blessings to get out of my funk. I don't want to sound trite here, because I really do this. Instead of dwelling on the negative, I compare how I'm living with how most of the rest of the world lives, and I know that things really aren't so bad after all.

Lately, I am starting to think of how things will soon be much, much better. Not just for me. No. For most of us. Given the state of politics in the US, I dare say that we will probably elect a Democrat as President in 2008 and the election of a fillibuster-proof Senate (60 vote majority, not counting Lieberman). Although I still want Gore to run, I can support any of the Democratic candidates...and will. There is not a Republican in the race that I would support because I want change...major change. Obama's entrance into the contest has certainly raised hope in a lot of places. I like him too.

So, all things are possible. We can do more than dream. We can plan to work in a campaign to make things happen. Instead of feeling helpless, we can feel powerful and be powerful.

We can look for candidates who want to house the homeless, to feed the hungry, to bring healthcare to the sick and non- or under-insured, to add more police again to our streets as crime is now rising again, to reduce our oil addiction and reduce greenhouse gases, to restore America's leadership and reputation as a democratic nation, to strengthen Social Security to help those retired and nearing retirement (as I am), to help those poor people on the Gulf coast who are still suffering from Katrina and government inaction even now, and...well the list is almost endless. "Imagine," as John Lennon sang. All things are possible with new beginnings.

Earth Day is approaching, on April 22. I have inventoried the ways I'm green now, but plan to do more:

• Drive a gas-electric hybrid car.
• Drive as little as possible and combine errands with commutes to work when possible.
• Telecommute two days a week on average.
• Recycle all standard recyclable materials. It's curbside for me so no big effort, but they will not take glass.
• Use a human-powered reel mower (photo below) to cut grass. Okay, I only have 0.17 acres, but I still have to cut it each week.
• Repair and keep older clothing rather than buy new clothes to the extent possible.
• Try to buy products that are earth-friendly.
• Reuse bags and paper.
• Replaced several lights with fluorescent bulbs.
• Recently purchased two motion detectors to cut lights off when no one is in those rooms. Now I have to install them.
• Use a programmable thermostat to cut down on unnecessary heating and cooling.
• Live in a small home that does not use lots of resources.

I would love to hear your ideas of what you are doing and how else I might help. For me personally, I believe God gave us the planet and expects us to take care of it. After all, it is our home.

Scotts Classic Reel Mower

Tom Price once again voted against even the majority in his own party against a bill to help communities improve their wastewater systems. Tom Price: too far right for his district. [Previous post] [Washington Post U. S. Congress Votes Database]

Water Quality Investment Act - Vote Passed (367-58, 8 Not Voting)

The House passed this $1.7 billion bill intended to help communities modernize their wastewater systems.

Rep. Tom Price voted NO