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Posts Tagged ‘America’

Funeral In Tennessee

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 FUNERAL IN TENN. very touching

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Funeral
in Tennessee

In Tennessee we really do pull off the road and stop for
funerals.. nobody moves until the last car has gone by.

What follows is a message from Vicki Pierce about her nephew James’ funeral, who was killed while serving his country in Iraq !

However, the most incredible thing was what happened
following the service on the way to the cemetery. We went to our cars and drove to the cemetery escorted by at least 10 police cars with lights flashing and some other emergency vehicles, with Tennessee police handling
traffic. Everyone on the road who was not in the procession,
pulled over, got outof their cars, and stood silently and
respectfully, some put their hands over their hearts..

When we turned off the highway suddenly there were teenage boys along both sides of the street about every 20 feet or so, all holding large American flags on long flag poles, and again with their hands on their hearts.
We thought at first it was the Boy Scouts or 4 H club or something, but it continued for two and a half miles. Hundreds of young people, standing silently on the side of the road with flags. At one point we passed an elementary school, and all thechildren were outside,
shoulder to shoulder holding flags, kindergartners,
handicapped, teachers, staff, everyone. Some held signs of love and support. Then came teenage girls; and younger boys, all holding flags. Then adults..
Then families. All standing silently on the side of the
road. No one spoke, not even the very young children.

The military presence, at least two generals, a fist full of colonels, and representatives from every branch of the
service, plus the color guard who attended James, and some
who served with him, was very impressive and respectful,
but the love and pride from this community who had lost one of their own was the most amazing thing I’ve ever been privileged to witness!

I’ve attached some pictures, some are blurry (we were moving), but you can get a small idea of what this was like.

These photos are awesome !!

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST MOVING E-MAILS I’VE SEEN
TO DATE

Chain for our Military…please don’t break it
Please send this on. There is nothing attached… Just
send this to all the people in your address book.

Do not let it stop with you, please…

-I am sorry the pictures did not come out , they were really awesome.  This is my America and how real Americans act and pull together in times of sorrow.

I normally do not touch articles like this but this one is definetly an exception.

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Posted by GreenPowerGuy on May 14th, 2010

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Are Obama’s Environmental Policies Succeeding or Failing?

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When everyone is looking for a positive, unwavering direction toward which to point their hopes and dreams, the obvious choice seems to be the new vitality alive and well in our president, Barack Obama. It is, therefore, not surprising when, in the face of all of his recent speeches and towering efforts toward responsible financial reform and a greener America, that citizens of our country question the first family’s frequent personal use of an aircraft which costs $69,000 per hour, in fuel alone, to fly. Three vacations within 40 days, one of which the president did not partake in, were taken aboard Airforce One, begging us to question the sincerity of the promises, the strong words, the character, and the policies.

The fact is, the ones who affect the most change in our country are the little people, the consumers. By bending and giving in to what the earth is crying for, we can and will make a cleaner and more ecologically sound tomorrow. Obama has, indeed, placed some extremely important environmental policies into place, and these will help immensely toward the restructuring of not only the economy, but of our place amongst nations. Calling for a reduced dependence on foreign fuel is as large a step as has been taken in decades, and this will help us to regain both financial security and environmental health.

It has proved difficult to move the large corporations toward renewable and sustainable energy methods, mostly because the costs of research, building, and implementation are so devastatingly high. The improvements made to solar power alone over the past three years have cost millions of development dollars, but have also created thousands of jobs and begun producing some of the most promising and affordable results to date. Aside from the automotive aspect of going green, solar power in solar garden lights is the renewable energy source gaining the most attention and offering the most promise.

Wind power is another of the most important developing energy sources being spurred on by Obama’s green initiative. With billions of dollars being offered to businesses for research funding and green incentives, the progress is picking up at a substantial rate and we are well on our way as a country. As with all things worth doing, positive change will not happen overnight. It will take years to reverse the cycle of irresponsibility and pollution that we have caused, but things are looking up a little more each day.

Jonathan Gal is a solar lighting expert and owner of YCA Solar Lights, an organization dedicated to promoting clean, energy efficient solar lighting technology. To find out more about how solar technology is changing the way we live, especially with respect to lighting, you are invited to visit Jonathan’s Solar Lighting site.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/are-obamas-environmental-policies-succeeding-or-failing-1392827.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on October 28th, 2009

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Solar Energy Not Effective

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A new report from Dow Jones and the solar manufacturing sector indicates that consolidation, or mergers, is likely to be the next wave for solar.

Lawmakers, already struggling to balance energy independence and the availability of oil, recognize the inevitability of market consolidation if America’s solar manufacturing industry is to achieve any kind of worldwide presence, let alone domination.

Let’s face it, at this point, U.S. solar is not a cost-effective solution for foreign firms. Land and labor are both too expensive, and even U.S. firms are struggling with solar impediments like efficiency, reliability, deployment speed and transmission availability.

The way to make solar effective in a world market may be to consolidate small solar and solar startups so that, in the very near future, solar manufacturers can offer the sort of workmanship, life-span guarantees, and service solutions to solar installations that are currently enjoyed by the traditional energy industry.

In other words, notes Michael Liebreich of New Energy Finance, if a company like NRG buys 100 megawatts of solar energy, it needs the certitude that system failures will be addressed by an experienced maintenance crew in a timely and affordable fashion under a contract maintained and operated by the same company for the lifespan of the solar farm. Currently, Liebreich notes, only a few solar cell manufacturers are at that point, and only a few more will reach it in the next several years.

Phil Schneider of Deloitte Consulting agrees, and notes that for foreign investment in U.S. solar to occur, a whole platform of incentives needs to be present, not the least of which are government tax incentives. But reliability, and serviceability, remain a huge part of the equation.

How confident are foreign investors that the U.S. is ‘good ground’ for emerging solar? Quite confident, if Schott Solar’s new Albuquerque, New Mexico, manufacturing facility is any indication. This plant, estimated to eventually cost more than $500 million, will ramp up over a decade to 800,000 square feet and employ 1,500 people.

More recently, eSolar leased its concentrating solar power technology to Indian company ACME Group for one gigawatt of solar power. But eSolar and First Solar are among the leaders in solar technology, with First Solar showing signs of the times by recently acquiring solar installer Turner Renewables and purchasing a 10-percent interest in SolarCity, another installer.

What about all the little guys, the solar startups? The recession has dampened investment, and many are struggling with high inventories, deflated revenues and a sense that solar has seen, and passed, its peak, at least in America – an impression driven by falling natural gas prices (80 percent since the summer of 2008) that have created cheaper manufacturing capacities and manageable (if not delightful) home heating bills.

The World Solar Energy Index fell 60 percent during the same period, suggesting a correlation that Liebreich describes as: “Solar and wind versus gas.” In Liebreich’s estimation, solar doesn’t, and can’t, compete with oil. But when natural gas prices start rising again, as they surely will, solar becomes more viable, and the field will be ripe for solar mergers and acquisitions, and these can and should be seen as the natural evolution of a new market becoming solidified.

There are about 60 solar panel manufacturers in the U.S. large enough to gain a position on the U.S. Energy Information Agency’s website, with another 20 companies vested in peripheral solar parts (batteries, parabolic collectors, etc.). There are an equal number of solar startups too new, or vested in such currently arcane technology, to be noted anywhere.

This isn’t to say that the newer technologies aren’t promising, because they are. But they haven’t been field-tried and proven durable, efficient at collecting solar energy, or cost-effective on a commercial scale – the three tests of solar technology that allow it to survive, let alone thrive.

In that respect alone, the current recession may be a proving ground for solar, allowing the winners to push forward and the losers to go back to the drawing board. All in all, it’s an inevitable shakeout for solar, and may the best team win.

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet’s solar energy resource page contains articles and tools about solar panels to help with your solar project.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/solar-energy-not-effective-1317143.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on October 9th, 2009

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Nevada Fails To Promote Solar Energy

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As the nation’s capital creates legislation that is likely to transform the landscape of America from a fossil-fuel nation toward a renewable energy nation, states like Nevada – with its abundant sunshine, wide open spaces and concentrated population located in two major cities – stand to gain.

Nevada has already heeded the call of renewables. Plans for two coal-fired generating plants in White Pine County – by LS Power and Nevada Energy – have been canceled. Another coal-fired plant near Mesquite hit the skids earlier in the year.

Cap-and-trade, which threatens to make global warming emissions incrementally more expensive over time, is one of the bigger incentives to move away from coal, oil and natural gas. But another, a $3.2-billion provision hidden away in the economic stimulus bill passed in February, gives power companies in the West access to low-cost loans via the Western Power Authority that will help extend the nation’s transmission system to incorporate renewable energies like solar.

It’s a first step toward a smarter grid, and an essential step if renewable alternatives like solar and wind farms, commonly built well outside inhabited areas, are to reach the thousands in cities who need more energy, and would prefer it clean and green.

At least, this is the conclusion reached by a new Roper survey, which shows that almost 90 percent of Americans think new home construction should offer a solar option. This is up from 79 percent a year ago, according to the study commissioned by Sharp Electronics Corp.

The $3.2 provision, introduced by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nv.), the current Senate Majority head, solves a long-standing Catch 22: investors are reluctant to finance renewable projects unless the transmission lines exist to transport it. But investors are also reluctant to invest in transmission lines until said renewable projects are up and running.

Up to now, the solution to this dilemma has been to build more fossil-fuel plants close to existing plants and tie the plant in to existing transmission. Coal-fired plants are cheap to build, domestic coal is believed to be plentiful, and is also inexpensive, allowing builders to recoup their construction costs quite rapidly.

But let’s go back to that plentiful coal. According to a report released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) late in 2008, coal reserves in the Gillette, Wyoming field are – thanks to reevaluation and a redefining of the term “accessible” – a scarce 6 percent of previous estimates.

Another report from 2007, which dismisses previous methods of evaluating coal reserves, suggests that actual coal reserves across the country might be much smaller than previously supposed. In effect, say some experts, the U.S. only has enough coal to last about 20 years.

In light of this, it suddenly makes sense to build a $500-million line between Las Vegas and Ely to carry solar power. And both LS Power and NV Energy, having scrapped coal plans, are going ahead with transmission planning, because Nevada – with its 2005 mandate on utilities to provide 9 percent from renewables – is finally catching up, even if four years late.

Nevada’s Senate Bill 358, which will allow NV Energy to recover conservation losses through higher rates, is another incentive to go green, even though regional enviros regard it as a utility bailout.

The 2005 law mandates utilities like NV Energy and Nevada Power to produce 20 percent of power via renewables by 2015, and 25 percent by 2025. With the new power line a go, solar energy firms like First Solar should begin flocking to Nevada’s wide open spaces and 360 days of sunshine a year any time now.

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet’s solar energy resource page contains articles and tools about solar panels to help with your solar project.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/nevada-fails-to-promote-solar-energy-1317434.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on October 9th, 2009

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5 Steps to Spot Greenwashing

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1) What does “Green” mean, anyway?

In general, the term green refers to a business or product that is providing a benefit to the environment in some way, by either reducing its negative impact when being compared to a similar non-green business or product, like flip flops made from recycled rubber, or by actually providing a direct positive impact, like a winery that uses biodynamic farming methods that improves the quality of the soil.

 2) What do they mean when they say green?

When coming across a business that claims to be green or to offer a green product, consider what exactly is environmentally friendly about it. Is the product or service they are offering really green, or are they just slapping the word green onto their promotional material then going about business as usual?  For example, a newspaper that claims to be green because they offer a section just for green advertisers while continuing to print on virgin fiber paper is greenwashing.

 3) Any third party certifications?

If a business has gone to the trouble of applying for a green certification of some sort, that is probably a good sign. Beware, however, that some certifications mean nothing more than that the business coughed up some money in exchange for a seal to put on their promotional materials. If you are suspicious, look into what it takes to get the particular certification. Green America (www.greenamericatoday.org) is a highly respected organization with a rigorous certification process.  Also, certifications from local city and county green business programs are usually trustworthy.

 4) They talk the talk, but do they walk the walk?

If a business calls itself green and they mean it, chances are they will give details about their sustainable business practices somewhere on their website. Are they taking steps to reduce their energy use, using recycled paper, offsetting their carbon, encouraging carpooling?  Do a little snooping, and if you don’t find any details, chances are they are not as committed to the environment as they would like you to think. The Better World Shopping Guide is a good resource to find out more about large companies and how they rate in their environmentally and socially responsible business practices.

5) Where does their money go?

If a business is truly green, it is likely that they support other environmentally friendly/socially responsible organizations or non-profits. This support could be in the form of donations of a percentage of their profits, volunteering, or donations of products and services.  Information about this is often available on a business’s website. If you can’t find anything it doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t green, but knowing they support other organizations with green values is a huge point in their favor. Check out resources like www.opensecrets.org to find out about larger corporations and what kinds of politicians they support. 

Kim Isley is the founder and director of Trees for a Change, an organizationa that plants trees as gifts in U.S. National Forests that have been destroyed by wildfire. Learn more about Kim <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http:” target=”_blank”>www.treesforachange.com/info.html”> HERE

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/5-steps-to-spot-greenwashing-1295441.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on October 3rd, 2009

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Green Going Awry

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The Federal Government shutting the water supply off to the farmers in Huron, Ca. is a classic case by the Government not using good sense. The Government has shut the water off to the farms to save a 3″ Delta Smelt. Without water the crops have dried up and now the soil is turning into a desert. The refusal by the gov’t. to turn the water back on has put over 40,000 workers on the unemployment line. The farmers themselves are starting to go out of business and losing their farms.

The Delta Smelt is nothing more than a food fish for the migrating salmon. In the Great Lakes area we eat smelt by the tons.

The Dept. of the Interior, environmentalist, White House, and a lot of others are refusing to help the unemployed. This valley provides about 12% of all the fruits and vegetables America eats. This once fertile valley is being turned into a desert by a fish.

This is the first time in the history of America that the Federal Gov’t. is actually starving its own people. This is setting the stage for the Federal Government to do this anywhere they feel like, very dangerous.

I for one like to eat vegetables and fruit grown on American Soil by American Farms. I do not want to eat the vegetables and fruits coming from Asia and South America.

I would suggest if you want to keep eating American grown food get involved and call or email your senators and congressman for your state. The farmers and the workers in the Ca. valley need our help.

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on September 18th, 2009

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