Thomas L. Friedman - Energy - Green Power - Global Warming - Renewable Energy - The Power of Green - New York Times

NY Columnist, Thomas Friedman, has been recent recommended reading for state government moving into the modern world. here, the NY times online cites Mr. Friedman in his discussion of GREEN politics - "geostrategic, geoeconomic, capitalistic, and patriotic." No longer should it be a badge only for "liberals" and "tree-huggers."

Thomas L. Friedman - Energy - Green Power - Global Warming - Renewable Energy - The Power of Green - New York Times: "'Green: The New Red, White and Blue,' a documentary featuring Thomas L. Friedman?s reporting on green technology, premiers on the Discovery Channel on Saturday, April 21 at 9 p.m."

Mr. Friendman opens with the reasons for renaming Green politics is,

"I want to do that because I think that living, working, designing, manufacturing and projecting America in a green way can be the basis of a new unifying political movement for the 21st century. A redefined, broader and more muscular green ideology is not meant to trump the traditional Republican and Democratic agendas but rather to bridge them when it comes to addressing the three major issues facing every American today: jobs, temperature and terrorism."

Lotus and Law's of Nature: shotenzenjin

shotenzenjin: "there is the Law that exists and it is first. The person who realizes this Law becomes a Buddha. The Buddha teaches that he achieved Buddhahood by believing in the Law. Therefore, in order for others to realize Buddhahood they should practice as the Buddha did, believing in and practicing the Law. The Law is central. The shoten-zenjin are ancillary forces of nature."

Coke Facts - The Coca-Cola Company - Around the World: News - The Coca-Cola Company Commits to Engage in the United Nations Global Compact

Coke Facts - The Coca-Cola Company - Around the World: News - The Coca-Cola Company Commits to Engage in the United Nations Global Compact: "ATLANTA March 8, 2006 - The Coca-Cola Company today confirmed its support for the United Nations Global Compact, publicly expressing the Company’s serious commitment to taking a corporate leadership role in the focus areas of the Global Compact: human rights, labor rights, protection of the environment, and anti-corruption.

The Company’s support for the UN Global Compact was expressed in a meeting between E. Neville Isdell, chairman and chief executive officer of The Coca-Cola Company, and Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at UN headquarters in New York City.

'Our support for the United Nations Global Compact is a formal expression of The Coca-Cola Company's commitment to conduct our business with the utmost respect for universal principles around human rights, workplace standards, responsible environmental practices and anti-corruption,' said Isdell. "

smart USA - the car that is part of your environmental statement

smart USA - the car that is part of your environmental statement: "We brainstormed how to reduce the number of components and how to assemble them. Examples include our dashboard air system that was reduced from twenty separate pieces to one single molded part. Even our exterior door panels can be easily changed and recycled. When you own a smart, you'll find yourself pointing things like these out to your friends - they'll become part of your environmental statement."

Smart Cars for Smart People. --Kate

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities - About Green Roofs

Double the length your roof lives, save energy costs, have fun too!

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities - About Green Roofs: "#
Protection of roof membrane resulting in a longer material lifespan (it is estimated that green roofs will last up to twice as long as conventional roofs), resulting in decreased maintenance and savings in replacement costs;
#
Savings on energy heating and cooling costs, depending on the size of the building, climate and type of green roof. ...Field experiments by Karen Liu in Ottawa Canada, found that a 6 inch extensive green roof reduced heat gains by 95% and heat losses by 26% compared to a reference roof."

Light Green Advisors: Environmental Financial Advisor

It's not too late to invest "green."

Light Green Advisors: Environmental Financial Advisor: "LGA was founded to provide mainstream, environmentally aware investors with investment options that are environmentally and financially sound. LGA manages investments in major market indices for environmentally-conscious institutions and families interested in supporting companies with the best track records in their industries.

Climbing energy prices and global climate change are reshaping the legal and market framework in which energy-using and energy-producing companies operate. Every company uses or produces energy. Rising energy prices, caps on carbon dioxide emissions, and technological change increasingly confer a bottom line, competitive advantage to those proactive firms throughout the economy that are cleaner, less-polluting, and more energy-efficient."

In fact don't you owe it to yourselves and your grand children?

GreenMoney Journal

GreenMoney Journal: "GreenMoneyJournal.com

Organic Foods and Natural Products – Growing in the Main Stream
By Cliff Feigenbaum

We enjoy watching the marketplace grow as organic foods and natural products go mainstream. Currently, ninety million U.S. consumers spend $16 billion annually on organics alone ($26 billion worldwide). Add in natural and fair trade products and the total exceeds $51 billion."

Hippy Shopper

[Editor's note: cross-posted from Rivermantic. -KAS]

Solar Powered Gardeing Features

Thought you might like to think just a tad about spring, what with the warm 30 degrees we are seeing this fine day in February! (Almost time for snow drops to bloom!)

--Kate

Hippy Shopper
Solar powered water cascade - look, no wires!

TerwatFancy a water feature in your garden, but can't face the faff? How about this mosaic terracota water cascade? The pump is solar-powered so free to run, and it is stand-alone, requiring no complicated installation at all.

Mission and what is TFF?

Mission and what is TFF?: "TFF works in suport of the UN Charter norm - 'peace by peaceful means.' We help people learn to handle conflicts with ever less violence against other human beings, other cultures and Nature."

Electric Appliance Calculator for Homes (Wisconsin Public Service Corporation)

Estimating your energy usage by appliance is now easy with this online calculator published by Wisconsin Public Service.com. ("Thank you and good night, Wisconsin!")

I got a heater for Christmas and someone asked me how I would know if it was the same or cheaper than using the heat to heat my home... Well 5 hours of the heater is about $23 a month. The oil heat is about 450 for every 2-3 cold winter months. I used half a tank of oil from mid October to end December. That's 225 I think, and divide by 2.5 and that's $90 per month. If my estimations are near correct then we have an answer! (Rationale: The heater only heats one room where the oil heats all of them.)

Thanks to a woman in Connecticut for this link:

Electric Appliance Calculator for Homes (Wisconsin Public Service Corporation): "Average Home Energy Use

Knowing that your bill varies for a number of reasons helps you understand the 'why' of increased energy use. But it doesn't give you the 'how'of managing your costs. The chart to the right shows how we use energy in our homes. Managing your use of these items will have the greatest impact on your bill."

DRS: Exemptions from Sales and Use Taxes

Hybrid Cars Exempt from Sales Tax in CT Until 10-2008

DRS: Exemptions from Sales and Use Taxes: "Hybrid Technology Passenger Vehicles: Effective on or after October 1, 2004 and prior to October 1, 2008, the sale or lease of any hybrid passenger car that has a United States Environmental Protection Agency estimated highway gasoline mileage rating of at least forty miles per gallon.

For purposes of this subdivision, 'hybrid passenger car' means a passenger car that draws acceleration energy from two onboard sources of stored energy, which are both an internal combustion or heat engine using combustible fuel and a rechargeable energy storage system and, for a passenger car or light truck with a model year of 2004 or later, is certified to meet or exceed the tier II bin 5 low emission vehicle classification.
The exemption applies to the purchase or lease of a new or used qualifying motor vehicle from a motor vehicle dealer and to the purchase of a used qualifying motor vehicle directly from its owner. Conn. Gen. Stat. ?12-412(115), as amended by PA 06-161, Section 5. "

GM - GMability Safety: Three Years Running: Saab 9-3 Sedan Earns IIHS 2007 Top Honors

GM - GMability Safety: Three Years Running: Saab 9-3 Sedan Earns IIHS 2007 Top Honors: "Three Years Running: Saab 9-3 Sedan Earns IIHS 2007 Top Honors

DETROIT (Nov. 21, 2006) — The Saab 9-3 Sedan has earned the 2007 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick Award in the midsize car category. This is the third consecutive year that the 9-3 Sedan has driven away from this competition with top honors. For 2006 the 9-3 earned the Top Safety Pick – Gold Award and received a Double Best Pick crash test rating for 2005. The 2007 Saab 9-3 Sedan was awarded the designation amid toughening criteria."

BuddhaNet Magazine Article: Book Review: Putting Buddhism to Work by Senaka Weeraratna

BuddhaNet Magazine Article: Book Review: Putting Buddhism to Work by Senaka Weeraratna: "The Essence of Buddhist Economics

Inoue identifies three key phrases that underlie his model of Buddhist Economics.

They are:

1) an economics that benefits oneself and others
2) an economics of tolerance and peace
3) an economics that can save the earth."

About Hemp

Sarah Winter and Mark Svetz do their parts in sustaining the world!

About Hemp: "

Industrial Hemp, Cannabis Sativa is a fast growing weed. This simple fact gives it a host of ecological advantages. It is a great choice for those concerned about the environment.

Hemp produces 250 times the amount of fiber as cotton on the same acreage.

50% of all the world’s pesticides are used on cotton.

Hemp is naturally pest resistant. Healthy crops require little or no pesticide use.

Hemp has very long tap roots and leaves the soil aerated. The roots also help prevent soil erosion.

Hemp fibers are longer, stronger and more mildew resistant than cotton. They absorb dye with an unsurpassed richness. Fibers made of at least 1/2 hemp block the sun’s UV rays more effectively than other fabrics.

A

s a Bio-Mass fuel (energy source) fast growth means hemp can produce 10 tons of Bio-Mass per acre in its four month growing period. Each pound of Bio-mass represents 5000-8000 BTU’s of energy.

If 6% of the continental US was planted with industrial hemp it could provide for 100% of our current oil and gas needs.

"

MaineFoliage.com: Foliage Reports

See MaineFoliage.com for a great map of foliage percentages.

Bangor - Augusta area is high and NEAR PEAK this weekend.
Locals report leaves falling without turning :(

MaineFoliage.com: Foliage Reports: "Foliage color is now high, or 50 to 75 percent toward peak, in central Maine tracking zones that include Augusta, Newport, Bangor and Route 9 east to Baring. U.S. Route 201 from Augusta north to Skowhegan along the Kennebec River offers beautiful views of the changing colors. An alternate river route in Bangor follows Route 2 north along the Penobscot River to Lincoln."