The League of Conservation Voters is asking people to show support for the Obama administration’s clean energy initiatives by signing a petition. If you haven’t already, add your name by clicking here.
By Grant Draper, at The Element Agency in New York
One speculated piece of pending legislation in the 2009 Energy Bill is a Federal RPS, which would force electricity suppliers to produce a specified fraction of their energy from renewable sources. Certified renewable energy generators can earn certificates for every unit of electricity they produce, and can sell these along with their electricity to supply companies. Obama’s plan would require that 10 percent of the nation’s electricity consumption come from alternative energy including wind, solar and geothermal by 2012, and 25% by 2025. However, trade associations like the Edison Electric Institute have taken a stand against a nationwide RPS, saying it would raise consumers’ electricity prices and create inequalities among states.
By Michael Morris, at The Element Agency in New York
Following reports that Obama’s latest nomination will be Congressman Ray LaHood for Secretary of Transportation, Transportation for America issued a release urging Obama to empower him to deliver on Obama’s green promises.
Keith Johnson of the WSJ comments on Obama’s “Green Dream Team” picks as reinforcing his commitment to change.
Commenting on new fuel alternatives, Treehugger warns that coal-to-liquids is not as viable a solution as many believe.
On the business side of things, Greenbiz urges cooperation between businesses and consumers in the effort to achieve sustainability. They also comment on the significance of water as a platform for business to clean up their act.
By Dan Giacomini, at The Element Agency in New York
After Republicans in the Senate killed the auto bailout legislation two weeks ago, Detroit has been scrambling to come up with another source of funding. The White House is considering whether to use a portion of the $700 billion in the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to avoid the collapse of Chrysler and General Motors. However, the seven Senators responsible for killing the bill have written a letter to President Bush that implies no amount of money will save the struggling car companies without major changes to the way they operate. These changes, according to many experts, need to include greening their products as well as the factories that produce them. If the auto makers fail to receive funds from TARP, the massive layoffs following the decision will require new job training programs that will be included, at least in part, in the pending Green Jobs Act.
By Michael Morris, at The Element Agency in New York
As the January 20th inauguration date nears, Obama is busy compiling his roster of officials for his new administration. Here is a list of who we can expect to see heading up environmental related posts:
Steven Chu
-Nobel Prize winning physicist, director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
-New Secretary of Energy
Lisa Jackson
-Former Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
-New Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
Nancy Sutley
-LA Deputy Mayor for Energy and Environment
-New Chairwoman of the president’s Council on Environmental Quality
Carol Browner
-Headed the EPA under Bill Clinton, League of Conservation Voters board member
-New Energy Czar
Ken Salazar
-U.S. Senator from Colorado
-New Secretary of the Interior
The Carbon Fund Blog is reporting that the organization is responsible for offsetting 4 billion pounds of carbon dioxide.
Sustainablog is offering tips on how to find a locally grown Christmas tree.
Greenopia has listed the best eco beers for the holidays.
The folks at treehugger are discussing whether or not the swiss cheese style Ecofont actually saves printer ink.
And the CSR @ Intel Blog is asking the important question: “what does climate change have to do with corporate governance?”
By Michael Morris, at The Element Agency in New York
By picking Steven Chu as his new Secretary of Energy, Barack Obama is adding an experienced Nobel laureate to his growing roster of competent officials. This decision comes at a time when the regulatory standards enforced by the Department of Energy are 15 years behind the times. This is no more apparent than in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where an attempt to move the city’s Green Building Ordnance forward was met by a lawsuit filed on behalf of 13 corporations, represented by the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). According to AHRI, the city’s new requirements were inconsistent with federal law, which naturally trumps any local ordinances. With Steven Chu taking office soon, we can count on a new wave of regulatory standards being implemented– hopefully making this the last time we see such a ridiculous lawsuit.
By Don Millar, Partner at The Element Agency in Vancouver
Barack Obama has been enormously successful in mobilizing us in a way we have only begun to realize. He was elected on an unprecedented change mandate, and has become a vessel of a larger movement backed by supporters and organizations that he can continue to utilize as effective instruments to more easily implement his political agenda. What we are seeing now from the Obama camp, and what we will continue to see in the future, are being coined as “governing 2.0” strategies.
By Michael Morris, at The Element Agency in New York
Not long after 500 migratory ducks died from landing in a tailings pond created by Syncrude, there is more bad news for the companies capitalizing on Canada’s tar sands. A new report released by Toronto based advocacy group Environmental Defense claims that 11 million liters of leaking water from tailings ponds is being released into the environment on a daily basis. This is equivalent to filling Toronto’s Rogers Centre stadium with contaminated water 2.5 times every year.
The environmental catastrophe taking place in Canada is among the most serious found anywhere in the world. The long term effects, although not yet completely realized, are so devastating that over 150 million migrating birds will die in the next 50 years. This, of course, is in addition to the plants, people, and other species that are already dying from exposure to contaminated water from the tar sands.
By Michael Morris, at The Element Agency in New York
While many snow sports companies like Burton and have recently started producing more environmentally friendly products, winter resorts are launching their own green initiatives as well.
Killington, the largest resort on the east coast located in Vermont, is “offsetting 100 percent of the resort’s electric usage through Renewable Energy Credits” and has recently cut a trail using a method that limits the impact on the environment.
Vail, one of the largest resorts in the world located in Colorado, has installed solar panels on its buildings and plans on reducing its energy consumption by 10% in the next two years.
Telluride, also a resort in Colorado, has been certified as a Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International for, among other things, eliminating the eight-mile drive from Mountain Village to Telluride for two million riders each year.
Given the amount of energy associated with skiing and snowboarding (long commutes to the mountain, creating artificial snow, replacing gear annually etc.), lets hope we see more ambitious projects from manufacturers and venues this year.
By Michael Morris, at The Element Agency in New York
The Huffington Post reports that while the Bureau of Land Management is preparing to auction off 276,000 acres of wild land in southern Utah, conservation groups are raising hell in an effort to stop them.
Coming to the defense of the big 3 car companies, treehugger is blaming Congress for not taxing gasoline and providing the incentive to produce smaller, more efficient automobiles.
EcoGeek is reporting the arrival of a less than practical solar taxi.
Climate Progress asks, “how would you spend $50 billion to stimulate the economy AND energy efficiency?”
According to Green Energy News, investing in solar energy could be the fastest and most effective way to create jobs in America.
And Forbes.com details “How To Go Green And Stay Cost-Competitive” (even for small businesses)
By Michael Morris, at The Element Agency in New York
Since its birth 112 years ago, the modern Olympic Games have really grown: participation has increased from 241 competitors representing 14 nations to 10,500 competitors representing 204 nations at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Now I am not a mathematician, but I think the equation below rings true:
More competitors + more spectators = amplified environmental degradation.
Although the Olympic motto of Citius Altius Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) has remained the same, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has, over the past ten years, made significant changes to the IOC agenda regarding environmental protection and sustainable development. In fact, in 1996 the mission and role of the IOC was changed to read: “to encourage and support responsible concern for environmental issues, to promote sustainable development in sport and to require that the Olympic Games are held accordingly.”
Since the IOC has revved up the green aspect of the Olympics, bidding cities now have to create detailed environmental plans for their applications. So, as an example, if Reno-Lake Tahoe decides to bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, they will be emphasizing their proposed sustainability plan, which will include “everything from green transportation possibilities to using the inevitable Olympic investment to improve the clarity of Lake Tahoe.”
Now, as athletes go for the gold, Olympic hosting cities can go for the LEED gold at the same time
By Cheryl Mihalin, at The Element Agency in Vancouver
President-elect Obama has identified clear goals for green energy and climate change policy. In addition to the information on his transition website, he recently released a video address, in which he outlined specific benchmarks:
• Investment of $15 billion per year to catalyze private sector efforts toward clean energy
• Investment in solar, wind and next generation bio-fuels.
• Reduction of emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, an additional 80% by 2050
• Investment in and development of nuclear and clean coal technologies
With Detroit’s Big 3 trying again this month to persuade Congress for a loan, the President-elect has also made clear his intention to use the possible auto-industry bailout as a vehicle to promote clean energy.
In addition to specific legislation, an interesting possibility would be for Obama to create a National Energy Council, as recommended by the Center for American Progress (CAP). Last year, CAP laid out a plan for the next president, which includes (in addition to specific energy and climate change initiatives) a proposal to create a National Energy Council headed by a National Energy Advisor at the Cabinet level.
By Grant Draper, Partner at The Element Agency in New York