Greentech Media discusses the ongoing infighting between the solar and energy efficiency sectors.
The coal industry costs more money than it creates in West Virginia.
Earth2Tech says we should all be watching the Texas smart meter market, not California.
Is Wal-Mart going green or greenwashing?
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You can read our post on Greenwashing here.
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The National Geographic website has a water footprint calculator that walks you through very basic aspects of your lifestyle and give you a sense of how much water you use at home, to produce your diet, to produce the stuff you buy, and to produce the fuel you need to travel. And it compares your use to the American average for each category. Check it out here!
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News and perspectives from around the web on the status of high speed rail in California…
Daniel Curtin for the SF Examiner:
“Without a hint of irony, critics warn that moving forward with California’s high-speed rail project risks financial disaster for the state. That train has left the station. There’s no need to predict disaster — we’re already living through one.”
Read the article here.
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From Business Review USA:
“Thinking Ahead: High-Speed Rail in Southern California is a new report released by the Center for Urban Infrastructure that discusses the benefits of a fast, convenient and efficient intercity high-speed rail system on southern California’s economy.”
Read the article here.
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Jonathan Weber for the NY Times:
“The Bay Area has a reputation as a place where it’s hard to get things done, but you’d never know it from all the recent progress on transformative megaprojects.”
Read the article here.
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For a counterpoint, try James Janz’s opinion piece for the San Jose Mercury News:
“When California voters approved Proposition 1A for development of a “safe, convenient, affordable, and reliable” high-speed rail system, I am certain they expected it to be a boon to the state because it would be done right…the High-Speed Rail Authority has done little right and much that is wrong.”
Read the article here.
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Window reflections can melt vinyl siding.
PACE program participants must pay off the loans before they can refinance their mortgages.
Transit-oriented development may be threatened by air quality rules in California.
EPA & DOT propose colorful fuel economy labels to make it easier to compare vehicle mileage.
And there’s an interesting article about Smart Grids and privacy.
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photo credit: Wing
The following are a few stories of interest tracking the latest developments in water quality for the San Francisco Bay region.
The S.F. Chronicle reports that a loophole in the laws protecting California’s coastal waters is finally being closed: sewage discharge from ships is now prohibited less than 3 miles from shore. The Chron reports that while many sea-going vessels have been voluntarily following this protocol for years, some even waiting until further off-shore, the new legislation will formalize the practice and help to address water quality issues along state beaches. Read the full story here.
Oakland’s splendid Lake Merritt is in for an overhaul. The 140 acre “lake” is actually a brackish tidal slough that is connected to the San Francisco Bay via a narrow channel. However for many years its waters have stagnated with inadequate connectivity to the Bay due to the deterioration of the channel. All that is about to change as the $115 million that was allocated to improve Lake Merritt in 2002 as part of Bond Measure DD to improve the lake finally hits the ground. The improvements to the lake will be chiefly through improving the connections between the bay and the lake, and the removal of a portion of 12th Street at the southern end of the lake. Read a thorough account of the project at Quest, here.
BCDC (the Bay Conservation and Development Commission) released it’s draft Subtidal Habitat Goals Project report this summer. The project represents a ” comprehensive and long-term management vision for research, restoration and management of the subtidal habitats of the San Francisco Bay”. Read the draft report here.
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