solar squirrel

So - this post has nothing to do with running, biking, swimming, or reef tanks.  [Stop reading now if you are bored by renewable energy or discussion of the legalities behind renewable energy credits].  This post does describe something that is funny that happened with First Energy (NYSE: FE).  Read on if you want to hear about something that they just recently did that was countered and finally withdrawn.

As part of my job I’m responsible for filing applications with the state of Ohio for getting the renewable energy projects that my company develops certified as renewable energy resource generating facilities.  (The name of the application I fill out is ‘Application for Certification as an Eligible Ohio Renewable Energy Resource Generating Facility’).  The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has an electronic-based system where you can file these applications online using their docketing system.  The system is sort-of bureaucratic, but for the most part quite efficient and the people who I’ve spoken with are very nice and incredibly helpful.

As a way to stay on top of the applications, I opted to receive a daily email that summarizes the activities for the day.  So, every day at around 5pm I receive an automated email which summarizes the days events and the different items that have been submitted to the PUCO online system.  I only elected to receive info on the renewable energy projects (REN).  Typically there will be new application filings, affidavit filings, updates, and finally the granting of the certification by PUCO.  Boring stuff, I know, but it’s good to know what’s going on and I like to see the different types of renewable energy projects that are being applied for.  It’s not just solar pv and wind, but also things like biomass (i.e. gas from a landfill), fuel cells, geothermal, and hydroelectric power.

Recently an application was submitted by First Energy for a Biomass facility.  Wow! I thought - way cool - I hadn’t seen any biomass applications so I opened up the application and checked it out.  Generally you are required to include pictures so I wanted to see what it looked like.  (I was hoping for a biodigestor or something of that nature).  Well wasn’t I surprised when this was the photo enclosed in the application:

Wait a minute - that sure looks like a coal-fired power plant to me… Upon reading the application further, I realized that the photo is indeed a coal powerplant.  It’s located in Oregon, OH.  It’s called the Bayshore Plant.

First Energy was trying to apply for certification as a renewable resource generating facility by claiming that they were using biomass along with the coal for use in this plant.  OK, fine, but after reading a bit more I also realized that they were only going to be utilizing a very small percentage (0-5%) of the fuel as biomass, and on top of that, who knows the source of the biofuel, how it’s collected, etc.

What if the source of the wood in the birquette is from half way across the world from trees that were better off not being chopped down?

Interestingly enough, I am not the only one who had these questions.  Several organizations, including the Ohio Environmental Council had the same questions and concerns and filed with PUCO to intervene.

Today my usual daily summary email arrived shortly after 5pm, and wouldn’t you know it - First Energy withdrew their application!  I was so surprised!  I wonder why they withdrew…maybe it was just not worth it for them to go through the process of documenting the details of the sources of the so-called ‘biofuel’ that they were going to be using in collaboration with the coal?  Who knows - but this is good news for all of us who are actually working to get REAL renewable energy working in Ohio.  And by real I don’t mean saying that your facility is a renewable energy facility if it has a small fraction of it’s power coming from something that may or may not actually be considered biomass.

I’m taking a product and brand management course as one of my LAST classes at Case towards my MBA.  Our team, Renewable Synergy, is working on an analysis of the Cleveland brand.  I know, kind of weird - thinking about a city’s ‘brand’, but that is exactly what we’re doing.  We want to do an analysis to understand how we can make the city resonate with the theme of sustainability.

I was thinking about this on my way home and I realized - some people - actually - a LOT of people - don’t even know what sustainability EVEN MEANS!!!  So maybe part of our recommendations is simply an educational promotion on just that.

Anyway - you can check up on our team’s progress via our Team Blog.  If you have any recommendations or ideas or even suggestions for people to talk to or web sites to visit please let me know!

Guys - check this out! This goes along with my dream of some day living in Ireland as a sheep herder…

Woodland House

Low impact Woodland Home

Consume!

Have you ever seen that movie called ‘They Live’?  It’s this cheesy movie from the 80’s and when you put on these special sunglasses you can see the world as it really is.  Well, I saw that movie when I was a little kid and ever since then all I can think of when I go shopping between Thanksgiving and Christmas is this movie - and the people who mindlessly wander the malls in a shopping frenzy…

Here’s the clip - check out the billboards and what the money says:

So today is Buy Nothing Day.  I have to admit - it’s going to be pretty easy for me since I never go shopping the day after Thanksgiving.  But - this year in particular - I really feel that we need to re-evaluate our spending choices.  Consumers don’t often realize that we have so much power - our dollars can be used for both good and bad.  Because of technology corporations are now more transparent than ever, we’re able to research not only the costs and quality of products, but the entire lifecycle.  Where was it manufactured and by whom and with what materials?  These things are becoming more and more important to people with buying power.  I feel that the age of mindless consumption is nearing its end.  Hopefully you’ll join me on buy nothing day…if not, maybe consider purchasing a little less this year or at least purchase from companies that have triple bottom line business practices.  Check out some B Corps.  Also, try to buy from thrift stores or yard sales, etc.  The best thing you can do is to buy nothing, next best thing is something that can be ‘recycled’, and finally you can buy from environmentally and socially responsible sources.

End of rant.

I have been waiting and waiting for someone to come up with an entire gym concept that encompasses sustainability, conservation, and reuse. I should have guessed that one would spring up in Portland, Oregon; the same place that has electric car dealerships. Check this place out - The Green Microgym. I’m sure you’ve always wondered what would happen if someone harnessed the electricity from your workout - at least I know I have - but I was discouraged to find out that the amt. of energy that I create is actually quite small - I sure feel like I’m generating a lot when I’m working out hard! But this gym actually has taken some really good ideas into action using solar to subsidize some of it’s energy and also using member’s art work on the walls. I’m most impressed with some of their equipment which I have never seen before. I love the idea of harnessing  kinetic energy, which I honestly feel EVERY gym should do - and it looks like this one is currently investigating it with the use of this company called ReRev. Why not use some of that energy created by all the jumping around during an aerobics class? I know there is a dance club in Rotterdam that uses the same idea from dancers on the dance floor…I am definitely going the next time I am in the Netherlands for more than 48 hours.

I haven’t posted for a while…I’ve had pain in my left knee for a week (started last Sat.). I ran about 15 miles yesterday with Elizabeth and Janet at an easy pace and it felt pretty good during the run, (after taking 4 days off) but after my knee pain is now back. I think it’s ITB, which both Elizabeth and Janet have had in the past. Todd told me not to run AT ALL, because I need to let it heal. I think he’s right, but at the same time I don’t want to loose the fitness-level that I’ve achieved so far. So I don’t know what I’m going to do. I need to get in to see someone ASAP and make sure what I have is ITB-related and go from there. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

I’ve been meaning to post pics of my rain barrel since Todd installed it a few weeks ago. The original design didn’t work out too well because the overflow hole was WAY too small and the barrel overflowed from the top and made a big mess and caused some erosion. Todd removed the original green overflow hose and plugged the hole with - of course - a wine cork! Then he punched out a new bigger hole and we bought some larger diameter white pipe to use as the overflow hose. This new design works great and Todd even built a little wooden stand for the barrel. The volume of water that comes out of the spout we have it connected to is incredible! The barrel fills up with one good rainstorm and it’s full right now! We’ve been using the water for plants and filling the fish tank.

I want to paint it soon so after I do that I’ll post more pics! I was thinking of painting a squirrel on it.

I had to share this: (see #1) http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1620/

Supposedly if we Americans were to lose a few pounds, we could save MILLIONS of gallons of gasoline! AHAHAHAHAAA!!!! Fat chance! Now go grab me something from Rally’s and hand me the remote.

This morning Todd and I did a brick workout - we rode our bikes 18 miles and then ran ~7.5 on trails. I forgot how GREAT it feels to run after biking! (that was sarcasm). It was tough! The first 3 miles of the run were kind of painful, and then it felt pretty good. My Garmin battery died (my own fault - I haven’t charged it since I got it) at about mile 4, but the bike averaged 17 MPH. Not too bad for the first time out this year. Plus I was being careful not to go too hard since I knew we were running afterwords. I’m not sure if I’ll have time to do another brick before the duathlon on Sunday, it’s ok - I’m sure I’ll have my competition cut out for me. I will allow Elizabeth or Janet to beat me - anyone else - look out.

Today Elizabeth and I went to a rain barrel workshop at Shaker Lakes Nature Center. It was really cool! We each made a rain barrel that will hold 55 gallons of rain water that we can use to water plants and flowers (basically we can do everything except drink it). The barrels that we used were donated from a local Italian food vendor - so they were used to hold olive oil and olives! Yum! I am going to let Todd have it since I don’t have a place for it and since he has a lot of plants that will be able to benefit from the water. It was funny because it wouldn’t even fit in my trunk! I had to put it in the back seat - that’s fine, I don’t mind. It’s better than driving an SUV.

We were acting like ‘dumb girls’.

I went to a BAWB event today after work. (Actually left work early to go). It was pretty interesting. The speaker, Rinaldo Brutoco, was pretty impressive. He said a lot of things that I wish more people were in line with - like the fact that there is no such thing as clean coal, and using corn for fuel is the dumbest idea since the Hummer. One of the things I was most impressed with was his passion for socially responsible business practices. When I say socially responsible, I don’t mean donating money to the food bank. I mean really thinking about what you do every day with regard to its impact on things in the future. He spoke of his relationships with his vendors and how it was truly a partnership, not a competition. He talked about looking at the entire product lifecycle, which so many companies fail to do. (designing with non-hazardous materials, components that utilize less energy, packaging that is lighter and made of recycled or recyclable materials, using less resources in the manufacturing of goods - water, electricity, etc - providing a mechanism to reuse your product once it’s use is up, can it be recycled, refurbished, etc.)

The main point of the talk though was discussing the transition from fossil fuels to renewable or alternative energy. He slammed nuclear power and coal power - which I thought was awesome. He also discussed climate change and how imperative it is that we make drastic changes today.

All in all pretty good reason to leave work early.