Seeing red

In recent weeks, about 600 birds have been stranded onshore in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Scientists blame it on the red tide.

The red tide is an algal bloom that has been circulating in the bay at the same time these birds have been found ashore. It’s common in Monterey at this time of year. Scientists also say that such red tides are becoming more frequent and serious worldwide; they link this to climate change, pesticides, and fertilizers.

Either directly or as a byproduct, red tides produce a protein which scientists believe stick to the birds’ feathers and make them incapable of keeping themselves dry and warm. This would force the birds to leave the water in which they live and feed off of.

Dave Jessup, a state Department of Fish and Game veterinarian, said birds hurt by the red tide include loons and pelicans. 70 of these birds have died, and 530 have been taken to rescue centers, where their feathers are cleaned. Fish and marine mammals, however, seem to be unaffected.

Jessup also said that the red tide is likely to stay in the area until it is pushed out by a major weather system. Until then, the algal bloom may continue to injure birds.

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Nov30/0,4670,RedTideBirds,00.html

The garden of good and evil

Terrachoice, an environmental marketing firm, says it found 1,018 products making eco-conscious claims, and that all but one of those products committed what they have marked as the “Six Sins of Greenwashing.”

“There were examples of shampoos that claimed to be certified organic, yet when we investigated and tried to find any sort of evidence of certification, we found none,” said Scot Case, a member of Terrachoice.

These are the ‘sins’ as follows:

The hidden tradeoff: This suggests a product is “green” based on very few factors, while potentially ignoring other environmental issues (for example, paper products that have recycled content but still have produce air and water emissions).

No proof: Products that lack certification of their “greenness” from a reliable and easy-to-access source (for example, energy efficient household lighting).

Vagueness: Claims that are too broad for consumers to understand properly (labels like, “All natural.” There are even poisons that are natural.)

Irrelevance: Making environmental claims that are unhelpful or unimportant for consumers (for example, CFC-free products...although CFCs, chlorofluorocarbons, have been legally banned for three decades).

Lesser of two evils: When the label of “green” is placed on a product that, although may be “organic,” is still a product that as a whole, is questionable in its effect on the environment (organic cigarettes).

Fibbing: Outright false statements (Terrachoice found a detergent claiming to be packaged in “100% recycled paper” although it was wrapped in plastic).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16754919

Putting the 'eco' in decor

Columnist Arianna Huffington said it:

“It’s been a great transition: Hollywood has gone from the capital of conspicuous consumption to the cutting edge of conspicuous conservation.”

But when you’re watching Ryan Seacrest pronounce the Emmy Awards as an eco-friendly event while he’s surrounded by burning klieg lights, things can get a little confusing.

“I started to think about all this stuff because I’d be going to events and the invitation would be printed with the words, ‘This is a green event!’” said conceptual event designer David Stark. He has worked high-visibility events for some of the nation’s elite organizations and celebrities. “There’d be burlap tablecloths and green lighting – and I don’t mean fluorescent bulbs, but the color green – and somebody would stand up and say, ‘Change starts here!’ and I’d think, you’ve got to be kidding.”

Stark was then commissioned to take reigns in designing the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum’s awards gala. “I wondered how that stuff could be more thoughtful," he said. "And then the artist in me wanted to present a commentary, not just a solution.”

Stark had the museum shred six months’ worth of their office paper, which he combined with papers from his own office and personal tax returns. Those 6,000 pounds of paper were then transformed into giant chandeliers and topiaries resembling those of Versailles’ gardens.

Stark was also concerned with what to do with such decor after events. Two years ago, the Costume Institute’s party for Chanel was decorated by artist David Monn. Afterwards, the 7,000 gardenias and 25,000 pounds of boxwood used for the event “went into the Dumpster,” said Monn. Making the effort to create environment-friendly decorations seems redundant when it is just thrown in the trash the morning after.

Simon Doonan, the creative director of Barneys New York, has also taken a genuinely earth-conscious approach to decor this year. This month’s holiday storefront windows feature mosaics using recycled products like soda cans.

“You can do this stuff at home. You can go gold with decaffeinated Diet Coke, and there’s lots of blue and silver in drinks like Pepsi and Red Bull. You can make wreathes out of old silver pot scrubbers,” Doonan said, giving insight on the do-it-yourself phenom.

If you're design-savvy enough, you just may be able to save yourself a trip to the store and your wallet by reaching for your garbage can.


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/29/garden/29eco.html?_r=2&ref=environment&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Gore vs. Bush... again? Not quite

President George W. Bush and former vice president Al Gore had, according to Gore, a “very cordial” meeting in the Oval Office, one that seems unexpected when you consider the 2000 presidential election and its searing political aftermath involving the two.

"He was very gracious in setting up the meeting,” Gore said of the encounter. “It was a very good and substantive conversation.”

The two often stand on opposing viewpoints, most notably for everyone’s favorite topic– global warming. “Of course we talked about global warming–the whole time,” Gore said.


But this meeting wasn’t for hardballing–it’s an Oval Office tradition for U.S. Nobel Peace Prize winners to visit before the ceremonies take part. On Dec. 10 in Oslo, Gore will be one of the honorees awarded with a Prize. Gore’s attempts to push the changing climate upwards the global agenda will be recognized that evening, along with those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said Bush invited Gore as a “friendly and neighborly thing to do.”

“We have a great tradition in this country of political rivals being able to put the past behind them and to work together for the benefit of the American people,” Perino also said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-gore27nov27,1,1054613.story?coll=la-news-environment

Christmas tree-huggers

When the holiday season intersects with the year’s rising gone-green awareness, the topic of environmentally-PC Christmas trees is there on the radar.

No longer does choosing a Christmas tree have to get riddled down to looks alone– consumers can now also choose how “green” it is. And this isn’t just about whether the needles are hunter green, or emerald green– there’s now a system that can help people identify whether or not their tree has been grown under certain environmental standards.

The Coalition of Environmentally Conscious Growers has set an inspection process that tree farms may go through to test their growing methods–these include water and soil conservation practices. Although the trees are not organic, the inspections can help crack down on concerns like pesticide usage.

Coalition co-founder Joe Sharp cites education as one of the driving forces behind the organization.



“Now when consumers buy a tree, they can be sure that the tree was grown with the best intentions for the environment in mind,” he said.

The coalition’s members are three large Oregon growers who altogether harvest over 2 million trees yearly. Over a dozen other tree growers are waiting to join, and the coalition hopes to take their system nationwide.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004032648_greentrees24e.html

The long and windy road to solve energy production

A turbine blade towering 400 feet into the air turns as a 30-mile-per-hour wind powers its movement through the sky; it is one in a field of turbines resting in the channel separating Sweden and Denmark. The field, a $280 million wind park built by Swedish power company Vattenfall, can generate enough power to light 60,000 nearby homes.



As promising as it sounds, however, wind parks like these are no longer considered a smooth solution to producing ecologically sound power. They are now coming under scrutiny by energy experts.

The wind is incapable of always correlating with people’s demands for electricity, and for the coasts where energy is most needed, turbine fields would need to be located much closer. This doesn’t fly so well for places like the United States where the best breezes are caught mid-country.

Denmark, Europe’s pioneer of wind energy, has experienced a drop in wind farm growth. Ireland had to postpone connecting their wind farms to the electricity grid because of power surge strains in 2003. And in the United States, residents of areas chosen as wind park sites continue to protest their construction, often for aesthetic reasons. One of these sites is located in Nantucket Sound, where it has drawn protests from even the Kennedy family.

“The environmental benefits of wind are not as great as its champions claim. You’ve still got to have backup sources of power, like coal-fired plants,” said Euan C. Blauvelt, the research director of ABS Energy Research from London.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/23/business/23wind.html?pagewanted=2&ref=environment

Are fees a good thing, or are they making matters worse?

A new fee has been implemented to those involved with recreational boating. About $1,500 worth of fees that is. This new fee is an environmental fee. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls it an "effluent discharges incidental to normal operation of vessels."

The whole thing was passes to prevent damage to domestic waters from foreign marine species that cargo tankers and cruise ships carry on board, but since smaller recreational boats also contribute to the problem, they can be fined too. Even sailboats with automatic bilge pumps can be smacked with a fee.

There are nearly 1 million recreational boats registered in California, and Congress is planning on making alot of money of these boat owners. The question being asked is, is the fee being implemented for profit, or to help the environment?

Sen. Barbara Boxer said that, "Recreational boating and sport fishing should be allowed to continue as they always have."

“Every time you exhale, you're polluting the air. How crazy do we want to get?” said Purdon, who was appointed to the California Boating and Waterways Commission by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Is putting fees on boats to save the environment a good thing, or are the fees just making matters worse because California generates almost $2 billion in revenue from boat and accessory sales a year.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071119/news_1n19boaters.html

Surfers call it Kill the Spill

Darin Rosas, a local of San Francisco and a computer network security engineer unknowingly began a journey into the leader of a huge cleanup movement. He was frustrated by how slow the government was taking to clean up this catastrophe that was polluting his beloved coastlines, so he and his surfer buddies risked arrest and hit the sand.

"It was all very hush-hush at first, under the radar," said Rosas, 33. "We were worried about getting arrested."
Officials could arrest them because they said it is unsafe for unprofessionals, but after they were sorounded by volunteers from all over the Bay Area they admitted that they couldn't clean up the spill alone and accepted their help.

"This groundswell has been unprecedented," said Steve Edinger of the California Department of Fish and Game. "We've never seen people who wanted to clean oil off a beach."

Companies from all over donated supplies, and even breakfast for all the volunteers. People even donated their old running shoes for the locals who showed up in flip flops. Four hour seminars are being held to teach them how to be safe when cleaning the beach and animal control started gathering up all the oily birds that were almost dead.


Another man who lives close to an affected beach said he was trying to do the right thing, and is now facing federal charges because he "entered an emergency area and did not obey an order to leave."

So the Kill the Spill volunteers when a step farther, they started where white Tyvek suits and latex glove there were donated, not only to keep safe, but look more professional and less likely to be bothered by authorities. They are using "hair mats" to mop up the mess, which is hair collected from barbers and sewn into 1-foot square pads.

They are still in the process of cleaning up but have made remarkable progress, some of the beaches they have cleaned are even on the verge of re-opening.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-killspill18nov18,1,6301968.story?page=2&track=rss

Coal is driving China, and global warming.

With global warming on the horizon, there may be some fossil fuels that are bringing it closer, and its the dirtiest fossil fuels of them all, coal.

Coal is cheap and plentiful and is powering the rising economies of Asia. It accounts for 77 percent of China’s power, and has become the hardest obstacle to battle concerning global warming.

“It is the crack cocaine of the developing world,” experts are saying. It is too good to give up for a lot of the less rich, less concerned about global warming countries.

CO2 emissions from coal have more than doubled since 2000 to more than 2.7 billions tons a year. China has built 603 coal0fired generators, which is around 64 percent of the generators in the world. India has also built about 133.

Michael Wara, a Stanford University researcher who studies the emerging markets for greenhouse gases, said: “In 20 years, if India and China aren’t on board, the game is lost.”

And it doesn’t look like they will be onboard anytime soon because more generators are being built and more coal shipped in.

Leon E. Clarke, an economist at the Joint Global Change Research Institute at the University of Maryland said that “unlike conventional oil and gas, it can be treated as virtually inexhaustible over the coming century.”

China is expected to move ahead of the U.S. and be first in the world’s total carbon emissions. India is also going to speed past Russia into third.


http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-coal18nov18,1,6286911.story?page=2&cset=true&ctrack=1&coll=la-news-science

Ford is going green.

Ford Motor Co., being the last of the big motor companies to go green, will give 20 plug-in hybrids to Southern California Edison power company by December to help test the vehicles' commercial viability, Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said today.

These models can be recharged at home, take less power to charge, and can run on electricity longer than an average hybrid. Ford, although short on details is making a step in the right direction. Along side their hybrids, they plan to improve fuel economy by 10 to 20 percent without compromising performance.

They are now testing 20 fuel-cell vehicles in seven cities, and are making no promises to their costumers because they say that it isn’t smart to lead people on if they aren't sure they can deliver.

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-fi-autoshow15nov15,1,7641658.story?coll=la-news-environment&ctrack=1&cset=true

Even the unborn are suffering from pollution.

Fetuses are now showing signs that they aren't liking the pollution problem in America. The environment can cause changes in a fetus that alcohol, smoking and drug use have been known to cause.

More than a dozen studies have been done that show levels of air pollutants found in urban areas have been recognized and linked to low birth weight, stillbirth and intrauterine growth retardation. It can also impair lung function will the fetus is in the womb, and can cause things like asthma, which can affect the fetus into their grown lives.

"Fetal life and early infancy are now recognized as periods of remarkable susceptibility to environmental hazards," says Dr. David Barker, a British researcher who is widely credited with recognizing the link between low birth weight and later cardiovascular disease.

Some have even found that the environment effects on a fetus can affect their children and their children’s children.

"That means what your grandmother was exposed to could affect your health today," says Jerry Heindel, a biochemist and scientific program administrator at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. "That is what makes this so scary. The data is so scanty at this time that we don't know how strong that is. If it turns out to be true, it could be very important."



It seems as though pregnant women have so much to fear while pregnant, like touching the wrong thing or painting their toenails, and now the environment is a global issue and it is affecting their babies too. It is scaring mothers-to-be to the point where they almost don't want to leave the house, and just sit by their air purifier until the baby is born.

Doctors aren’t trying to scare women; they are just trying to inform the public about the possibilities.


http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-fetal12nov12,0,2140947.story?page=1&track=mostemailedlink

Mayors, mayors, and more mayors are all about green cities.

Around 100 mayors attended a two-day Climate Protection Summit at the United States Conference of Mayors on November 2, all showing a lot of support for a new idea...cities going green. Meaning, cities would be centered on public transit, and built to a higher standard of energy efficiency that will save money and create a greener way of living.

A downside, it is hard to convince voters that going green is good, and that the mayors themselves aren't crazy.

"This is one of those things you do in your last term in office," John Robert Smith, the mayor of Meridian, Miss. said, "because they'll be sure you've lost your mind."

“You just can’t say we need to reduce global warming because there will be floods and polar bears will be gone,” said Mayor Douglas H. Palmer of Trenton, president of the Conference of Mayors. “They’ll run me out of town.” And instead of saying things like that, he has taken a more human approach by relating it to the voters, like their children’s asthma and new things like "green collar jobs" in which they will install solar panels and things of that nature.

New ideas are being thrown all over the place for a green way of living but one thing is for sure though, this conference made it clear that cities have to take up the slack in which the Bush administration has left when it comes to fighting global warming, even if it is a tough notion.

More than 700 mayors have signed a petition of reduce their cities' emissions of carbon dioxide and other dangerous gases, but it was never ratified.

Working towards more environmentally sound ways of living is going to be expensive and a seriously extensive process, but these mayors showed that they are willing to at least talk about it, which is a step further than the president.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/03/us/03mayors.html?ref=opinion

Global Warming is Getting Serious

National and world leaders are now considering global warning as the No. 1 threat to the planet, and the federal government is not responding to the cries for help.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sued the Bush administration on Thursday because they are not giving California permission to tighten up on standards for automakers in his attempt to curb global warming.

"We are now ready to implement the nation's cleanest standards for vehicle emissions, and we cannot do that, of course, until the federal government gives us a waiver," Schwarzenegger said at a Capitol news conference. "Our health and our environment are too important to delay any longer."

Schwarzenegger has been waiting for almost two years for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to give him the go ahead to proceed with his plan.

The urgency to move forward is a much needed one. The climate change has been the cause of the droughts in California in 2006 and 2007. It was also responsible for the record rains two years earlier. The changes have been dramatic and have not gone unnoticed.

The governor says he is willing to "sue and sue agian" until California gets permission. Global warming is definitley getting serious.




http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-fi-warm9nov09,1,3860.story?coll=la-news-environment&ctrack=2&cset=true

Jay Leno is going green.

Jay Leno is making a difference…even if it is a small, expensive one.

The comedian drives a different car everyday (ya, he has that many) and he gets a lot of flack for not being kind to the environment, but in reality, he is doing much more than most environmentalist could even dream of.

After getting sick of the critics, he decided to do something about it.
“There are people who say, ‘Well, you should sell all your cars and ride your bicycle. No. I’m not going to do that, but what else can I do?”

What else can he do indeed, and how will he do it? He’s got a lot of money, thats how. He has a 54-kilowatt solar-power system installed on the top of his 17,000 square foot garage that holds his 150-vehicle collection. On an average day, he generates 33 kilowatts. That’s enough electricity to run the air conditioning, overhead lights, and his power tools with enough to return some power to the city.


Although Leno believes in global warming, he knows some people don’t. He put it lightly that his “thing with the green situation is: Even if you don’t believe in global warming, don’t you want to screw the oil company or gas company of utility company?”

In addition to the solar panels, he has a wind turbine on his roof, and many other systems inside the garage that are designed to reduce toxic waste. He uses eco-friendly part cleaner that uses microbes to eat away the grease and grime. Yep, biodegradable.


He admits that what he does is expensive, around half a million to be exact, but he thinks that if people like him test out new ways to help the environment it will become more affordable to everyday households.

So thanks Leno, more rich people need to be like you.



http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/highway1/la-hy-throttle7nov07,1,53312.story?ctrack=3&cset=true

Nothing but "eco-education" here!

Some 325 people are really making the environment their main focus, and I mean living, breathing, entire college education kind of focus.

The College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, founded in 1969 is a college with only one major, and no departments. That major is human ecology, with only one required course.

“The core of human ecology is real simple,” says David F. Hales, president of the college. “Individual humans exist in a natural and cultural environment, and human ecology is the study of how we relate to those environments.”

The college plans to become the nation's first campus to become "net zero," with absolutely no greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the year. They also say that by 2015, all the activities they partake in will be from renewable resources.

The classes usually have from five to 15 students, and are all about encouraging large-scale brainstorming. Although small and out of the box, this school shouldn’t be taken lightly. It is even listed in The Princeton Review’s “Best 366 Colleges.”

Everything, and I mean everything is environmentally friendly at the College of Atlantic. From biodiesel in the tractors and generator to organic farm and zero-waste graduation ceremonies, and even composting toilets are being discussed regularly.

One teacher said that, "we teach students that individuals can make a difference, and that if you have the opportunity to make a difference, you have the responsibility. We believe that, so we have to act on it.”

This isn’t the only college going green, there are almost a dozen "eco-colleges" across the country, and with the growing concern and more advocates of a greater environment there have been a growing number or applicants. There is even a N.C.A.A Division III athletic school, Northland, the only one of its kind, founded near Lake Superior in 1906.

A senior student, Ashlesha Khadse, described her major, human ecology, as “a way of looking at things and also a way of acting.” To these students, this really is a way of life.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/education/edlife/lewin-atlantic.html?_r=2&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fE%2fEnvironment&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Building Green, And Afordable

Carlisle Development Group is a privately held developer based in Miami and is trying to open "green" construction to housing designed for low-income people.

As we all know, environmentally friendly construction is expensive and aimed at the high end of the housing market.


To the right is Matt Greer, chief executive at Carlisle, and he oversees a property management division that includes 7,500 apartment units.

This sophisticated 29-year-old says "Carlisle is using environmentally friendly features in developments that include a 200-unit rental project for the Broward County Housing Authority and a 100-unit project for the nonprofit Camillus House, in an historic building in downtown Miami."

When dealing with green projects, it typically costs more to develop. However Greer and other real-estate industry believe that these costs can be offset over time by the buildings' increased sustainability and energy savings.

Wall Street Journal Online did an interview with Greer on the strategies on "Going Green" and here is a piece from the interview.

WSJ.com: What specifically are you doing to make your buildings "green"?



MR. GREER: It involves a lot of things... There are people who come in a inspect the air and lighting and tune all of the settings so they are tuned for the most efficiency. For example, making sure the size of the air-conditioning unit is suited for the size of the room.
We're also diverting construction waste from dumps so that in can be reused. Ten percent of the materials we use are recycled waste; instead of hardwood, in many cases we use [wood shavings based particle board.] All the hardwoods we use are certified hardwood. We use low emitting materials in our carpets, paints, sealants. Some studies have found that these types of materials in the home can emit toxins. We install bike racks, and we petition to have bus stops moved near our properties. Then there are the water requirements, putting in low-flush toilets, which use .6 to 1.2 gallons per flush, and more efficient shower heads and kitchen sinks.

Chasta Nechvatal
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119344215484373464.html

NBC Universal to run on green synergy

This week, NBC Universal will be environmentally themed across all of its programming outlets.

A few programs that will be taking part in this eco-friendly cause are:

• "NBC Nightly News"which will dedicate each weeknight to an environmental topic
• MSNBC will target on the politics of green
• On the season premiere of "Bravo's Real Housewives of Orange County," eco-friendly pop-ups will be featured Tuesday at 10pm
• CNBC will be exploring investing opportunites in the green movement
• "The Singing Bee" which is hosted by Joey Fatone, will have contestants singing songs about the Earth and the environment on Tuesday at 8pm
• "Deal or No Deal" will have the 26 sexy models making their entrance pedaling bikes and wearing dresses recylced from Army surplus parachutes AND Kermit the Frog will make an appearance from "It's Not Easy Bein' Green" fame.
• On "Life," Det. Charlie Crews has a dream about solar panels, which starts him thinking about buying a solar farm. That airs Wednesday at 10pm.
• On "Las Vegas," Delinda realizes the Montecito casino should be doing more to support the eco cause. (Friday at 10pm)
• "30 Rock" will push its corporate green initiative and poke fun at its excesses all at the same time.
• On this sitcom, they will have an act on a make-believe variant of NBC, with the network executive coming up with this fabulous idea of creating a green mascot named Greenzo. (Thursday at 830pm)

Television being one of the most fastest ways to communicate with others, NBC Universal has discovered a way to support the cause through their programs.

These favorite programs will attract a broad audience on the importance of the green cause.

-Chasta Nechvatal

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-weektv5nov05,1,1507544.story

Hawaii Kai, Mililani Try Curbside Recycling Pickup

In East Honolulu, the curbside recycling project began Saturday morning with high participation of thousands of Hawaii Kai residents going green.

"The participation rate seems to be well. The promising thing is you see a lot of homes only with the green, so you know they are trying to do without that second day of refuse pickup," said Department of Environmental Services employee Ken Shimizo.

In January, the city cuts regular refuse pick-up in Hawaii Kai from twice a week to once a week.

However, after the first day of curbside recycling, residents began to see the difference and forgot about the cutback.

"This is much better. We don't have piles on the street, and we don't have to go to the recycling center anymore," resident Penny Sing said. "We all want to do something that can make things better in our community, and recycling is a major way to do that."

If one were to walk around Hawaii Kai, they would see green bins overflowed with branches, shrubs, and palms.

The green waste project has been a success with minor issues. The city said it will try the recycling project for a year in both Hawaii Kai and Mililani before deciding whether curbside recycling should go island wide.
Chasta Nechvatal
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21622761/

A 'green' solution for a parched, car-crazy region

Lisa and Jeff Peri, developers of Green Earth Waterless Car Wash spray, became entrepreneurs during their pursuit of cleaning products that were safe to use around their chemically sensitive daughter.

After 5 months with the waterless vehicle-spraying wash, they have been able to attract customers such as a major local hospital and California's biggest Lexus dealers, which they describe their product as environmentally gentle.

The Peris' Inglewood company, which currently goes by the name of its fragrance-free cleaner, also markets a few related products and sometimes will send its employees to wash cars.

The entrepreneurs are looking to attract buyers who are sensitive to chemicals in cleaners or concerned about drought, given that washing a car at home uses 80 to 140 gallons of water and running it through a carwash uses 20 to 45 gallons of water.

"We feel like we are doing something life-changing for other people," said Lisa Peri, 36.

To begin their business, Lisa's parents donated a substantial sum, and the Peris raided their own savings, reaching a total about $100,000.

"I don't know if that's impressive, or just crazy," Lisa said. "We feel an insane amount of responsibility. We have to succeed."

However, the problem is now trying to convince the public that it'a possible to spray a little liquid onto their cars and then wipe the dirt away without scratching off the paint.

They Peris's did a demonstration on a late-model Lexus showing that the liquid acts as a surfactant, lifting, suspending and encapsulating the dirt, which can then be wiped off, leaving a carwash finish and sheen.

"You're not giving up anything and you're still getting a clean car, and saving the water means it works for people on a number of different levels," Jeff said.

Chasta Nechvatal

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-carwash1nov01,1,4374842.story

Anaheim Succeeds with Trees

In the Anaheim Newsletter, the city of Anaheim reached its goal in planting 3,000 trees in 2007 and donating four orange trees to the brand new Orange Grove Elementary.

A year ago, the City celebrated the milestione of the 300,000th tree planted in the courtyard next to City Hall.

With the celebration of Anaheim's 150th anniversay, it's a succeeding goal the city has accomplished since Mayor Curt Pringle's address in January. Prior to this year, Anaheim's Public Utilitie's TreePower Program has planted 2,100 shade trees.


“TreePower is based on the idea that the right tree, strategically planted in the right place, will create shade for homes and buildings, and reduce energy used for air conditioning,” said Lon Cahill, Anaheim Public Utilities Board chairman. “However, the community benefits from much more than trees and energy savings. We’re pleased to be able to make a difference for the current and future students of Orange Grove Elementary.”

TreePower underwent a program expansion this year in which single-family homes are eligible to receive up to six free trees and are also entitled to one free citrus or avocado tree within program guidelines.

The TreePower Program, a joint energy-efficiency effort of the City’s Utilities and Community Services Departments, offers free shade trees to homes, schools, nonprofit/religious institutions and businesses.

Residents can sign up for a free landscape audit, allowing them to receive up to six free shade trees. The landscape audit is designed to help the residents select shade trees that are most suitable for their home’s landscape. Following the audit, TreePower will deliver the trees and planting supplies to the home or organization.

With these shade trees, plus the 30,000 planted in the program’s prior years, air-conditioning costs can be reduced by as much as 10 to 40 percent. At maturity, the trees will save 2.2 million kWhs (or enough energy to power 384 households for a full year), in addition to removing over 186 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

For more information about TreePower and the shade trees, please call (714) 491-TREE or visit http://www.anaheim.net/.