Occupy the Rooftops! Community Solar Initiative

We all know that this nation needs to move from fossil fuels to more renewable energy sources. Here’s your chance to make it happen locally. Nov. 20th is Community Solar Day!

A lot of people, businesses and organizations would love to switch to clean solar power, but lack the up-front costs necessary to fund a solar installation. That’s where organizations like Solar Mosaic come in.

Here’s the basic idea:

Fund the up-front costs of community solar projects by crowd funding. This means that instead of the raising up-front capital themselves or going to a bank for a loan, a solar project is funded by small investments by members of the community. These small investments are paid back to the investors over time, and the extra money saved by lower energy costs, gets paid forward to help fund other solar projects. Pretty cool, huh?

This takes our energy policy out of the hands of big corporations, like ExxonMobil, Koch Industries & BP, and puts the power in the hands of the people. As Jamie Henn of 350.org put it, “When energy is in the hands of the 1%, we get the Keystone XL pipeline. When it’s in the hands of the 99% we get Solar Mosaic."

For more information, check out these links:

http://solarmosaic.com/

https://solarmosaic.com/solarday

http://solarmosaic.com/blog/why-you-should-sign-community-solar

Native Species Spotlight- Spotted Bee Balm

(Monarda punctata)

 Native FAC

If you are trying to attract pollinators to your garden, this Native Species Spotlight is for you. Spotted Bee Balm lives up to its name; this attractive plant will be buzzing with honey bees and native pollinators in no time. It is a hardy, prolific plant that can withstand drought conditions and does not require watering after establishment. Bloom colors vary from dark pink to almost white and is a show stopper when the whole plant is bedecked with blooms. Another bonus of Spotted Bee Balm that we had not anticipated when we first planted it in our wildflower garden was the amazing subtle scent that the flowers give off. Our whole wildflower garden was permeated by its sweetness. No wonder it is so attractive to bees and other pollinators.

 It’s no secret, with Colony Collapse Disorder and other factors threatening the survival of bees, that populations are in decline. Providing native food sources for bees and other native pollinators has never been more important.

 Spotted Bee Balm thrives is full sun to part shade and requires moist, well-drained sandy soils. It is a great companion plant for many garden vegetables, including tomatoes. Spotted Bee Balm is available through local native plant nurseries and grows readily from seed.

Eco Design-Earth Homes Slideshow

There are some fantastic ways to build green.  Whether constructed out of hay bales or earth bags, green design has never been cooler. Want to see a slideshow of some of the most original and creative designs out there?  Check out the link below.


Slideshow of Earth Homes

Eco Eye Candy- Outdoor Baths and Rain Gardens

What a wonderful pairing: An outdoor bath with a rain garden. Not only does this outdoor bath look like an absolute haven, but an adjacent rain garden incorporated into the design would allow for processing the grey water generated from the bath, just feet from the source. The plants from the rain garden would act as a natural biological filter, to naturally clean the water post-bath and allow for a beautifully green option for would-be outdoor bathers.

Native Species Spotlight: Dense Gayfeather (Liatris spicata)

A wonderful addition to any wildflower or butterfly garden is the Dense Gayfeather. Despite its delicate appearance up close, this species is remarkably hardy. It can withstand extreme heat and periods of drought as well as cooler temperatures and abundant rain, making it ideal for the beginning gardener. Gayfeather also is irresistible to bees and butterflies. Dense gayfeather blooms through fall and summer, sending up multiple stalks loaded with tiny purple-pink flower heads. Individual stalks can reach 3 feet in height, which makes it an ideal backdrop for native grasses and other wildflowers. It can be readily grown from seed and is easily propagated by the home gardener.

This species of liatris grows best in full sun and requires no supplemental water after establishment.

(Native- FAC)

Eco Eye Candy- Grow Your Own Bamboo Bike

EcoSRQ is always on the lookout for innovative bike designs, particularly those crafted with sustainable materials.  That’s why the Ajiro Bamboo Velobike, from student designer Alexander Vittouris, featured in the Australian Design Awards caught our eye.  The bike is constructed almost entirely out of bamboo.  Though there are a number of fantastic bamboo bikes currently on the market, this might be the first recumbent bike that boasts almost total bamboo construction. 

Ouch! Florida Ranks #3 in States with Most Toxic Air Pollution from Coal and Oil Power Plants

Florida may have the distinction of having some of the best beaches in the country, but the state also just garnered a top slot in a not-so-coveted contest.  Florida comes in at #3 in the list of states with the most toxic air pollution from coal-fired power plants.  The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) used data from the EPA to rank the top 20 worst states for air pollution from power plants. Only Ohio and Pennsylvania exceeded Florida’s rates.  It seems the Sunshine State needs to drastically step up its clean energy cred.

As of 2005, Florida had 30 coal-fired generating power plants at 14 locations, representing 18.8% of the state's total electric generating capacity.

Notably, the campaign against coal just got a major boost. Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently donated $50 million to the Sierra Club’s fight to end coal and usher in a clean energy future. The campaign’s four-year plan is to replace one third of aging U.S. coal-fired power plants with clean energy. Coal harms communities and public health at every step of its use. Coal power plants are the #1 source of mercury pollution in the U.S. Burning coal releases toxic mercury that rains down into river and streams. Half of U.S. families live in places with unsafe air. Pollution from coal-fired power plants has been shown to be a major factor in incidence of asthma in children.

To see where Florida’s coal-fired power plants are located and some stats on pollution released into the atmosphere, check out this link.