Greeneroo

Picture this: you’re riding out the crystal blue of the Pacific Ocean when BAM, algae entraps you in it’s disgusting green web. Why would you want that anywhere near you? Well, the question should be: why wouldn’t you?

IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization, has recognized these simple autotrophic organisms as the most promising source of sustainable energy to meet increasing global demands.

Algae-based biofuels provide a robust and clean source of energy, delivering a sustainable alternative for the production of crude oil, jet fuel and aviation gases. Use of algae is advantageous due to its extremely high concentration and IEEE Senior Member and Algaeon Inc., William Kassebaum, is able to discuss these advantages in depth.

IEEE and its members are also driving significant advancements in more established technologies, including wind power and smart grid, to provide reliable, consistent environmentally friendly energy around the globe. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, global energy usage will increase 53 percent by 2035. This projection has sparked the need for innovation in sustainable energy, from both conventional and unconventional sources. The following experts are also available for commentary:

• Wind Energy, Peter Tavner, a UK-based IEEE Senior Member and President of the European Academy of Wind Energy
• Smart Grid, Cyro Boccuzzi, IEEE Senior Member and Executive Vice President at Brazil-based Enersul

Finalists to Compete for Green America Award Recognizing Entrepreneurs With an Overall Green Way of Doing Business and a Commitment to a Sustainable Food System; 10 Small Businesses Located in CA, IN, MA, OH, PA, TX, VA, and Washington, DC.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 6, 2013 – A public voting period is now open for finalists of the fourth Green America “People & Planet” award recognizing America’s best green small businesses. Each of three winners will receive $5,000.

Voting for 10 finalists was opened to the public online beginning May 1, 2013 at http://www.greenamerica.org/green-business-people-and-planet-award/ and will continue until 5 p.m. on May 31, 2013.

What are you waiting for? This is a chance to learn more, get involved and help a great group!! I voted for Archi’s Acres, because I love their idea of putting our amazing Vets to work in a teamwork setting. It’s healthy, green and repeatable in your community! Take a look at the 1o finalists, and click the link above to vote.  You can’t go wrong! It’s quick and easy. –editor

The quarterly “People & Planet Awards” recognize innovative entrepreneurial U.S. businesses that integrate environmental and social considerations into their strategies and operations. This round of the Awards will focus on businesses that have overall green practices and are committed to a sustainable food system. Votes will be tallied and three quarterly winners will be announced during the week of June 3rd.

The 10 final contenders for this round of People & Planet Awards are: Alter Eco, San Francisco, CA; Archi’s Acres, Escondido, CA; Blue Ridge Produce, Elkwood, VA; The Chile Woman, Bloomington, IN; CleanFish, San Francisco, CA; Flying J Farm, Johnstown, OH; Frankferd Farms Foods, Saxonburg, PA; Green City Growers, Somerville, MA; in.gredients, Austin, TX; and Love & Carrots, Washington, DC.

* Alter Eco, San Francisco, CA., http://www.alterecofoods.com/.  Alter Eco believes whole, healthy, delicious food can make life better for people all over the world. By working directly with small-scale farmers who grow quinoa, rice, sugar, and chocolate, helping them institute Fair Trade and organic practices, and giving them the tools to improve the quality and value of their product, Alter Eco is creating a system that benefits everyone involved. Since their start in 2004, Alter Eco’s co-op partners have enjoyed improved yields, true living wages, profit-sharing, medical insurance and the capital to create better infrastructures, healthcare and conditions in their communities.

* Archi’s Acres, Escondido, CA., http://archisacres.com/.  Through their farm, Colin and Karen Archipley have found a way to support sustainable agriculture while serving our nation’s veterans. Now, Archi’s Acres is rolling out its VSAT program nationwide. This rollout has commenced with the construction of a 30,000 square foot “farm incubator” that can serve as the prototype for job-creating, water-saving, food-producing, veteran-led hydroponic organic greenhouses nationwide. The intention is to create real value and good jobs in countless American communities, by harnessing the power of the 1 percent of Americans who served in the past decade of war.

* Blue Ridge Produce, Elkwood, VA., http://blueridgeproduce.net/.  Founded two years ago in the Northern Virginia Piedmont Region, Blue Ridge Produce aggregates produce from farms in Virginia for sale to wholesale customers in the Mid-Atlantic. Blue Ridge Produce lets farmers be farmers by giving them a consistent market for their produce and handling the marketing and distribution logistics. By taking the retail headache out of the equation, farmers can spend more time doing what they do best, growing crops in Virginia soil. This system keeps more money in the local economy, and significantly reduces food miles traveled.

* The Chile Woman, Bloomington, IN., http://www.thechilewoman.com/. The Chile Woman is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and growing chile pepper varieties from all over the world, as well as preserving chile pepper biodiversity. The Chile Woman now maintains a seed bank of over 1800 chile pepper varieties, and excludes all hybrid, GMO or bioengineered seeds.  The business was hit by a tornado in May 2011. While the rebuilding has been arduous, there has been an uplifting outcome. Because so much old-growth tree cover was lost, solar power became a possibility. The company is celebrating the installation of a 5.2 K solar array that went online in January of this year.

* CleanFish, San Francisco, CA., http://www.cleanfish.com/.  CleanFish has developed a trusted platform of both wild and farmed fisheries by turning their backs on industrial commodity fish operations. CleanFish looks to the artisanal, or family farm, levels of seafood production. The company has carefully cultivated regional networks of smaller, ethical fish producers whose principles and practices they know well through their proprietary screening and vetting processes. CleanFish has created access to native fisheries, such as Nunavut tribe’s Arctic Char that is uniquely available through CleanFish. They have promoted innovation such as the move to organic production of many fish farms. Additionally, some producers have gone to larger infrastructure innovations such as wind and solar energy powering of their farms

* Flying J Farm, Johnstown, OH., http://www.flyingjfarm.com/.  Flying J Farm believes that sustainability begins with human health and that humans were placed here with brains to care for the rest of creation. Therefore, recycling, waste management, alternative energy production and management, minimizing financial costs, and environmental care are essential to sustaining life on this planet. Highlights of Flying J Farm’s sustainability efforts include: 1) Outdoor wood furnace , 2) Solar thermal water heating, 3) An 11 KW solar electric system, 4) Biodiesel fuel  produced from waste oil and used in most tractors, and much more.

* Frankferd Farms Foods, Saxonburg, PA., http://www.frankferd.com/. “Frankferd Farms Foods has been providing the region with organic, natural, and bulk foods for over 35 years. In 1978, Betty and T. Lyle Ferderber launched Frankferd Farms Milling. They were some of the first organic farmers in the area, receiving just as much praise as they did raised eyebrows. After seven years of growing and milling grains on their 81-acre organic farm, Betty and T.Lyle  expanded to become a food distributorship in 1985. Since then, the food business outgrew its space on the family farm and moved to a much larger warehouse a few miles away. Frankferd is the only company of its kind in the region and serves over 3000 customers in 7 states. Since the business essentially grew out of an organic farm, its ethics are rooted in stewardship to the land.”

* Green City Growers, Somerville, MA., http://growmycitygreen.com/. Green City Growers (GCG) transforms unused space into thriving urban farms, providing clients with immediate access to nutritious food, while revitalizing city landscapes and inspiring self-sufficiency. GCG produces and installs raised-beds, cold frames, and rooftop farms in addition to providing farm maintenance, educational programming, and consulting services for all interested in growing fruits and vegetables.  GCG’s clients include urban and suburban homeowners, corporate wellness programs, schools, healthcare facilities, and restaurant/food service providers, etc. Quality organic produce is expensive and difficult for the average family to procure. By bringing the farm to the consumer, GCG increases access to produce, fostering a stronger connection between people and the food they eat.

* in.gredients, Austin, TX., http://in.gredients.com/. In.gredients is a zero-waste micro-grocer in Austin, Texas providing the community with real, local food. As a business, they are changing the way people shop for groceries. By providing a majority of products in bulk and sourcing from local farmers, ranchers and producers, the store has become a green food leader in the Austin community. Customers can bring their own containers, fill them with high quality, organic GMO-free food and household items and leave without any unnecessary packaging. The store has over 300 products, with a majority of them made and produced in Texas.

* Love & Carrots, Washington, DC., http://www.loveandcarrots.com/. is a home organic gardening service which designs, installs, and maintains vegetable gardens in DC and the surrounding suburbs. Organic, locally grown food and fruitful green spaces are beautiful, healthy, and better for the soul. Founded by ecologist Meredith Sheperd, the vision of Love & Carrots is to educate people about the importance of local food and environmental stewardship through gardens. Love & Carrots promotes the growth of urban agriculture through a home-based garden education service that teaches families, businesses, and organizations how to grow their own food.”

Judges for this award include: Katie Galloway & Gigi Abbadie, Aveda; Justin Conway, Calvert Foundation; Elysa Hammond, Clif Bar; Lisa Stokke, Food Democracy Now; Jenny Burns, Honest Tea;  Kristin Bower, Neighborhood Farm Initiative; Jonathan Reinbold , Organic Valley; John Lively, Preserve (winter winner!); Eric Henry, TS Designs; and Reed Doyle, Seventh Generation; Fran Teplitz & Andrew Korfhage, Green America..

Future rounds of the quarterly small business awards from Green America will focus on workplace innovations, and other sustainability practices.

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org.

“Miss Carson, you are the lady who started all this.” ­ Senator Abraham Ribicoff, to Rachel Carson as she testified before congress in 1963

Indeed she did. And what better way to celebrate Earth Day this April than by commemorating one of her greatest champions: Rachel Carson. This one person changed the way we think about the plants, pesticides, water and so much more. Her books are still inspiring, her message is so important. Carson’s message that we must hold a sense of responsibility to the natural world speaks to us still, inspiring us all to greater awareness of our impact on the planet we inhabit.

Learn about Rachel Carson, and this Earth Day is the perfect time!

• Share the video with your readership! You can post the YouTube video directly to Facebook or Twitter, or embed in your site: http://youtu.be/2i6iE7AxVKE
• Check out this eBook reading list from Open Road.

Length: 7 miles
Difficulty: Moderate

A great local hike that feels so far away, but is in Santa Cruz! You’ll want to bring some friends and time to relax and embark on a beautiful hike through Santa Cruz’s Wilder Ranch State Park on the Backcountry Loop trail. Despite its proximity to a busy town and highway, it feels like you walked into a tranquil farmland.

Learn about wind power and the ocean by sailing! The Cal Sailing Club offers free lessons and you’ll love learning.
Check their website for more details and directions… note: they don’t have a phone.

The bay is beautiful and you’ll learn alot.

Beginner topics (covered Saturday and Sunday)
- Land and water safety and CSC orientation
- Getting on and off the water
- Points of sail
- Uphauling, stance, and balance
- Powering-up, steering, tacking, and jibing

Whale Watching Season is December through May for the annual gray whale migration. More than 17,000 whales make their way from the freezing water of the Artic to warm Baja California for calving time. Several groups do this kind of tour,  but I’d recommend the Oceanic Society, they have a great group of enthusiastic and knowledgeable people. If you can get a group of 10 together the price is less than $40 for 3.5 hours of fun! They leave from Pillar Point / Princeton. There is also SF trip that is 6 hours/ $90. You can call 415-258-8220 for information on the latest marine life sightings.

For May to December, there are opportunities to see whales in the Farallon Island are 27 miles off the coast, SF is the usually spot to charter a trip.  These islands are a national marine sanctuary. This rich area attracts humpbacks, seals, dolphins and sea birds.

When you are looking to set up a charter to go whale watching it is more fun if you learn a bit more about WHAT you are watching, so remember to ask if the tour has a naturalist aboard. CHECK the YELP ratings too, while you are at it, to get the best tour and trip.

RipTide Charters does this from Half Moon Bay: 300 Capistrano Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
650-728-3377

You don’t always SEE a whale but this is the time to give it a try!

At the 2nd annual Social Change Film Festival and Institute in New Orleans, LA, First Peoples Worldwide (FPW) organized a panel on “Traditional Storytelling Using Modern Technology.” The five-day festival brought together a global network of filmmakers addressing the need for social change through their work.  More than 40 Indigenous filmmakers submitted films about cultural identity, the environment, youth suicide, drug abuse, and other issues. Two films were selected by FPW to be screened at the festival,“Cry Rock” and “March Point.”

“Cry Rock” documents the struggle of the Nuxalk in British Columbia to maintain their language, culture, and identity in response to colonialism and the infringement of non-Indigenous culture.  It was the directorial debut of Banchi Hanuse (Nuxalk), a graduate of the University of British Columbia, and has won eight awards since its premier at National Geographic’s All Roads Film Festival in Washington, DC.

“March Point” tells the story of three Swinomish boys awakening to the negative impacts of oil refineries on their communities in Washington State.  Tracy Rector (Seminole/Choctaw), the director, is co-founder of Longhouse Media, an organization that promotes artistic and community growth of young Indigenous filmmakers.

“We watched well over 50 films made by Indigenous Filmmakers,” says Neva Morrison, Managing Director of First Peoples Worldwide and the moderator of the panel. “The stories they shared are amazing. I was moved to tears by some and others made me laugh, but all inspired me and because these stories were told, directed, and edited by Indigenous People in their own words it made them more powerful and accurate.  The two selected for screening at the Social Change Film Festival deserve every bit of recognition they are receiving today.”

The Social Change Film Festival encourages filmmakers to address global social and environmental challenges in their work.  The theme for this year’s festival was Water: Challenges and Solutions.

In addition to film screenings and panels, the festival included workshops and lectures from film industry professionals on all aspects of filmmaking, distribution, fundraising, and social change media. The festival also included a special panel and screening of selected youth films on water issues.

Are YOU an amazing filmmaker? Visit http://dropbydrop.socialchangefilmfestival.org to submit your video! Submissions will close on April 30, 2013.

Film will continue to be a powerful way for Indigenous communities to share their stories, giving them the opportunity to share their struggles, successes and—most importantly—their solutions for a better world. To learn more about the Social Change Film Festival & Institute, visit www.socialchangefilmfestival.org.

About First Peoples Worldwide:
Founded by Rebecca Adamson in 1997, First Peoples Worldwide is dedicated to strengthening Indigenous communities through the restoration of their authority and control over their assets. For more information, visit www.firstpeoplesworldwide.org. Follow us on Twitter @FirstPeoples.

Did you know that the amount of household garbage in the United States increases by 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day?

On Saturday, December 15 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., join Aquarium of the Bay, for Rejoice, Reuse, Recycle!

This is a GREAT green holiday craft event at a spectacular local Aquarium. This beautiful aquarium is a wonderful place to learn, explore and enjoy the ocean and the many ocean animals.

Aquarium of the Bay will be partnering with SCRAP, a non-profit creative reuse center who will donate material for guests to make their own green holiday crafts.

• Create your own holiday centerpieces made out of recycled and reusable materials.
• Chat with Aquarium naturalists for even more ideas on how to be green and reduce your impact during the holidays.
• Artist Nicole Chan will be on site creating a five foot sculpture made from recycled plastic bags and undaria (an invasive kelp species) pulled out of the bay.
• Everyone that creates a piece during the event will receive a 20% discount in the Aquarium’s retail shop.

Everyone can do their part to help reduce the amount of waste produced during the holidays. Whether you’re trying to save green in your wallet or just trying to be green this holiday season, Aquarium of the Bay is your go-to resource on how to have a greener holiday.

Rejoice, Reuse, Recycle! is free with Aquarium admission. For more information, visit www.aquariumofthebay.org.

Our oceans can always use your love and attention.  For more information, check out these articles.

This is bound to be controversial. Wanted to let you review some information.

COALITION OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RETIREES BACKS SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR’S DECISION ON POINT REYES OYSTER FARM

WASHINGTON, DC.///November XX///The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees (CNPSR) today praised Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s decision to not renew the permit to allow an oyster farm in Point Reyes National Park to continue to operate inside designated wilderness.

Coalition chair, Maureen Finnerty said, “This decision is a clear affirmation that decisions within the areas of the National Park System must be based on accurate fidelity to the law, the best available sound science and scholarship, and in the long term public interest.  Secretary Salazar has clearly placed resources stewardship ahead of the narrow commercial interests of the farm’s operator.  This is a win-win for the American people.

When the Congress designated Drakes Estero a Wilderness Area in 1976, Congress allowed an existing oyster company to grow non-native oysters until its lease expired on Nov. 30, 2012.   The current owner of the oyster farm bought it from its previous owner in 2005 with the clear understanding that its occupancy permit would expire in 2012.  He tried to apply political pressure to the National Park Service (NPS) and the Department to extend the permit, claiming that his operation was not harmful to the resources of the park.  The public does not agree.  92% of the more than 52,000 public comments received during the comment period of the NPS’ last Environmental Impact Statement on the Drakes Bay Special Use Permit favored full wilderness protection for the area and a termination of the lease.

By denying the permit extension, Secretary Salazar is acting in the public interest and carrying out his responsibilities as defined in the 1916 NPS Organic Act, the 1964 Wilderness Act, and the 2006 NPS Management Policies.  CNPSR Executive Council member, Rick Smith, said, “The oyster farm has a long history of violating the environmental regulations of the California Coastal Commission and the NPS.  It also has been operating without federal permits required to protect navigable waters.  The NPS is charged with operating areas of the National Park System in ways that are not in derogation of the values and resources for which the area was established.  Secretary Salazar’s decision will allow the NPS to more faithfully carry out this mission.  We applaud his decision.

MEET YOUR FISH

ABOUT CNPSR

The over 830 members of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees are all former employees of the National Park Service with a combined 25,000 years of stewardship of America’ most precious natural and cultural resources. In their personal lives, CNPSR members reflect the broad spectrum of political affiliations. CNPSR members now strive to apply their credibility and integrity as they speak out for national park solutions that uphold law and apply sound science. The Coalition counts among its members: former national park deputy directors, regional directors, superintendents, rangers and other career professionals who devoted an average of nearly 30 years each to protecting and interpreting America’s national parks on behalf of the public. For more information, visit the CNPSR Web site at http://www.npsretirees.org.