simple + green

Is Toyota planning on developing a solar powered car? This article says as much.

Toyota, admittedly a leader in green auto technology, is years away from bringing this to market. But it does say something about their dedication during tough times: Toyota announced that it will slip into its first operating loss in 70 years.

Announcing a development like this could provoke a reversal of fortune.

The car itself? According to the Japanese newspaper that broke this story:

Toyota is working on an electric vehicle that will get some of its power from solar cells equipped on the vehicle, and that can be recharged with electricity generated from solar panels on the roofs of homes. The automaker later hopes to develop a model totally powered by solar cells on the vehicle, the newspaper said without citing sources.

And this news also comes as the company has outfitted one of its main plants in Japan with solar panels:

The solar panels on the roofs add up in size to the equivalent of 60 tennis courts and produce enough electricity to power 500 homes, according to Toyota. That reduces 740 tons a year of carbon dioxide emissions and is equal to using 1,500 barrels of crude oil.

When the economy isn’t going well, every single kind of business seems to suffer.

One consequence of the economic downturn may be one none of us think of immediately: the recycling industry.

What is usually a booming industry - based on selling recyclable materials - is officially in a free-fall, according to this article:

Just months after riding an incredible high, the recycling market has tanked almost in lockstep with the global economic meltdown. As consumer demand for autos, appliances and new homes dropped, so did the steel and pulp mills’ demand for scrap, paper and other recyclables.

Cardboard that sold for about $135 a ton in September is now going for $35 a ton. Plastic bottles have fallen from 25 cents to 2 cents a pound. Aluminum cans dropped nearly half to about 40 cents a pound, and scrap metal tumbled from $525 a gross ton to about $100.

What are the numbers?

Last year, Americans generated about 254 million tons of trash, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They recycled about 150 million tons of material — roughly 80 million of that in iron and steel — supporting an industry that employs about 85,000 with $70 billion in sales, said Bob Garino, director of commodities at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based trade association that represents more than 1,600 companies worldwide.

Most recyclables are shipped to Asian countries that use the material to make products that are shipped backed to the United States to be sold.

But the market shift is now jeopardizing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of long-term contracts for scrap metal as some companies that signed when prices were high are trying to cancel or postpone deliveries to take advantage of the cheaper spot market, Garino said.

Obviously, the concern is that all municipalities may cut back their recycling programs. At a time when recycling has become second nature to many Americans, it’s daunting to think that people perception of the the process could change.

So, what is the outlook?

According to the article, the market isn’t likely to bounce back until the economy improves. Some put estimates for this at several years. Others think the turnaround may come sooner than that.

“It’s just time to pull in your horns and maintain what you have and try to survive until 2010,” he said.

I am sometimes guilty of taking our array of food options for granted. Especially when it comes to the availability of organic foods, sustainable seafood and just plain 1-stop shopping for a (mostly) vegetarian family. Which is why I love Whole Foods, even though it can be so darned expensive.

If you live in Honolulu and eat like I do, today is your lucky day.

A healthy crowd turned out yesterday morning for the opening of the first Whole Foods Market store in Hawai’i, at Kahala Mall.

About 150 people lined up for the 7 a.m. opening to shop or see what the nation’s largest natural and organic foods retailer has to offer.

As the Honolulu Advertiser reported today, Whole Foods has opened their first store in Hawaii this weekend.

And apparently, this won’t be the last:

The new store is one of four the upscale retailer based in Texas plans to open in Hawai’i over the next two years, an entry that is bringing new competition to the more than 40 small, independent natural and organic food retailers in the state.

And perhaps this is the first step in a healthier food revolution for the Hawaiian Islands.

Whole Foods, however, with its big stores located largely in major malls or retail complexes, also is expected to raise consumer awareness about natural and organic foods, something that also will benefit smaller retailers in the industry…

Carter Allen, owner of Celestial Natural Foods in Hale’iwa, said he hopes Whole Foods will help accelerate the natural and organic foods movement that has been slow to build among consumers since the early 1970s, when he opened his store.

“They hopefully are going to turn more people on to natural foods and organic foods,” he said. “The proof will be in the pudding in a year or two.”

Even though I don’t live there, this definitely makes vacation food shopping that much better and easier. So, our next trip there will be much fuller with beaches, culture and organic food.

Regular readers will know that I’m a huge baseball fan. Like every public event, baseball games consume a lot of resources, which makes it slightly less easy to enjoy.

Oil/energy consumption in the form of transportation and facility management is very costly for the environment.

So, the 2 Florida pro baseball teams put their money where their carbon footprint would be.

By the Marlins’ calculations, more than 440 metric tons of carbon dioxide would be emitted during the game, from people traveling to the ballpark, stadium operations and other means. The Marlins, the state and the nonprofit group carbonfund.org said the carbon footprint of the game would be offset through investments in reforestation projects across the Southeast.

Carbonfund.org says reforestation—planting trees—can absorb existing CO2 emissions and reduce the excess greenhouse gases that humans have added to the atmosphere.

How cool is this?

So far, Florida is the leader in carbon neutral sporting events: last November, Florida was home to the first carbon-neutral college football game, when Florida State visited Florida.

What to do? Lobby your local sports franchises to consider the same! Here in California, I’ll be sure to hit up those closest to us.

It has been a pretty topsy-turvy last couple of weeks for me. All good: most having to do with my job. In the end, I’m in a very good place and ready to rededicate to simple + green.

For anything I’ve missed, I’ll revisit if it makes sense.

One important story in the interim has been this: Schwarzenegger Declares Drought in California.

We’re somewhat used to being just around the drought state. But this is a pretty big concern. Counties had already been implementing rationing, and people have to be steadily getting used to the idea.

But water rationing is only part of the story. We’ve already had massive fires throughout the state, most recently in the Santa Cruz mountains. Just yesterday, residents of Bonny Doon had to be evacuated. This is not exactly normal for this time of year.

Our land being parched is only going to increase the chance of fires. And that means more damage to our lands, huge costs to the local and state governments. Not to mention a sense of lack, which is pretty dispiriting.

So it could be a tough summer and fall in California.

I hope to have more uplifting news/stories tomorrow!

This kind of article cracks me up!

According to a recent study, eco-geeks get more attention for their vehicles than sportscar drivers do.

And they’re including female attention within that.

According to a study conducted by GM as part of this year’s Challenge X competition:

* Nearly 9 in 10 women (88 percent) say they’d rather chat up someone who owns the latest fuel-efficient car versus the latest sports car.

* Eighty percent of American car buyers would find someone with the latest fuel-efficient car more interesting to talk to at a party than someone with the latest sports car.

* More than 4 out of 10 (45 percent) 18- to 43-year-olds say it’s a fashion faux pas nowadays to have a car that’s not green or environmentally friendly.

Does this make people more likely to buy a fuel-efficient car ?

I think it’s more outcome than cause. But we are in the midst of a historic Green period.

And it’s only getting more that way…

Get ready for some upcoming controversy: a climate-change bill has hit the Senate.

Sounds great, right? Not to everyone:

The Senate will decide this week whether to follow in California’s footsteps and pass legislation requiring cuts in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change.

Lawmakers are to vote today to begin debate on a bill that could reshape the U.S. economy by requiring industry to pay to emit carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases. Opponents call it a new tax on industry that could raise gas prices and energy bills for consumers. Supporters say it’s a crucial step to advance cleaner energy and protect the planet.

With the economy in flux, people will be reticent to see their costs rise. And those who oppose the bill will lead with this:

Opponents of the bill also see an opportunity: With gas prices hitting record highs and the economy floundering, they believe they can rally opposition to the measure by focusing attention on its potential costs to businesses and consumers.

In the end, the question is: how much good will this do? According to some environmentalists, while the bill is a step in the right direction, it may not be enough:

Most environmental groups support the bill, although some say it doesn’t go far enough. The measure would reduce U.S. greenhouse gases by about 66 percent below current levels by 2050, but many climate scientists say reductions of at least 80 percent below 2000 levels will be required to avoid the most severe impacts of rising temperatures.

SFGate.com is reporting that the air quality board is set to fine Bay Area companies that pollute.

The Bay Area air quality district became the first in the nation on Wednesday to impose fees on businesses that pump some of the highest levels of carbon dioxide into the air each year.

The 15-1 vote by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District sets the stage for 2,500 companies and agencies - from supermarkets to gas stations to power plants - to pay 4.4 cents for every metric ton of carbon dioxide they expel, beginning July 1. The top 10 companies combined would pay more than $820,000. The fee for a large share of businesses would be less than $1.

A great idea, but there are already debates.

Initially, their authority has been questioned. Also, there is no overall plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on either a state or national level.

Lastly, cars and trucks are the big polluters and this initiative doesn’t affect those.

So what do you think? Does this sound like a positive idea or just a small attempt at fixing this huge problem?

image credit: Scoobymoo

Great article about organic food in the Calgary Herald yesterday.

The focus: organic foods, and the reasons to eat them.

Most of the information is localized to Canada, but the important points remain:

** Depends on your perspective! But I find this to be partially true.

And did you know:

On December 14th of this year, Canada will join more than 40 other countries worldwide with organic regulations.

The Canada Organic logo will appear on food products that meet the federal government’s standards for organic production, making it easier for consumers to identify organic food.

This means that for the first time, Canadians will have reassurance that the organic food they buy really is organic!

image credit: Gaetan Lee

Our heat wave is now over, but the water issues will continue.

According to this news report, water rationing may soon be starting on 2 major San Francisco Bay Area counties.

EBMUD votes today on restrictions that may force Alamada and Contra Costa County residents to slash use by nearly 20%.

Keep in mind: it’s only May. We had the driest spring in more than 100 years. And more unusual heat is not out of the question.

Global warming is most certainly a factor. If you don’t think so, you’re not paying attention.

On the flip side, our extended weather forecast does include chance of rain in the next week. Which would be amazing! And would provide a little relief.

What do you think: would you be prepared to make adjustments if your county were to ration your water?