July 2009

HP was one of several computer manufacturers who promised to remove vinyl plastic (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from their devices before the end of 2009. Now the company has changed its commitment to removing BFR/PVCs by the end of 2011.

Greenpeace wasn’t happy to hear that and decided to respond in a big way, by traveling to HP’s headquarters in Palo Alto, CA, climbing to the top of the building and painting “Hazardous Products” with environmentally safe children’s finger paint. The graffiti spanned over 11,500 feet and was adorned at the bottom by a signature Greenpeace logo. It didn’t stop there though.

As the hybrid car craze accelerates, both by consumer demand and government backing, more companies and researchers are being advantageous of the primed hybrid car market by trying to gain battery supremacy. The latest improvement by a Japanese company, AIST, may push the envelope further with a viable lithium-air battery that cruises by the snags that others have been unable to surpass.

Lithium-air is a seductive battery that has no shortage of enthusiasts (including computer powerhouse IBM) who see the potential of a super-battery that generates energy by combining an abundant atmospheric gas, oxygen, with lithium metal. In turn, the battery produces an unmatched energy density and capacity--nearly ten times that of a lithium-ion battery. 

Why is it illegal to toss out prescription pills, battered batteries and old oil, but not all the other crap that ends in the can? True, some items are especially dangerous to bury underground, but in reality nothing is good to throw away.

The progressive San Francisco Board of Supervisors took this message seriously by becoming the first city to force businesses and homeowners to recycle and compost.

Aggressive goals require aggressive steps, and San Francisco is attempting to eliminate landfill waste by 2020. So far, they’re not doing so hot. Sixty-seven percent of what the city sends to the landfill could have either been recycled or composted.

But things aren’t so bad in the Bay Area. San Francisco already composts 400 tons a day, which is used in local farms and vineyards.

Manufacturing and industrial jobs  in the United States are rapidly becoming a thing of the past as a down economy is stretching dollars further oversees. Plants and factories are being shut down nationwide, leaving workers unemployed. Prayers of desperation for a new wave of work are all many can hold on to with the limited education and/or work experience they possess. 

Obama's stimulus plan hoped to change all that, but many have not seen the ripple effects of that money. Recently, however, blue-collar green jobs or clean energy jobs are finally gaining the momentum needed to become a legitimate job market and job opportunity.  The problem is that as results of green jobs trickle in, pressure for immediate results and a hurting job market mount and make many, including Congress, uncomfortable.

The more Obama's administration pours into renewable energy, the stronger the debate gets in Congress.

Ultimately, those that oppose the current plan either feel as though there is not a strong enough "comprehensive energy strategy" or that the green jobs have the potential to take away from the manufacturing sector.

Thousands of cattle are dying and thousands of acres are failing because of the drought currently dehydrating Texas farms.

Some Longhorn counties began crying out for state and federal help as early as March, and now 70 counties are considered disaster areas because of crop and livestock losses. And 167 Texas counties are now called disaster areas because of the likelihood of wildfires in the parched conditions.

Even after these cries for help, the reaction from the government has been virtually nonexistent as irrigation streams and lakes continue to disappear.

“The assistance, in terms of financial assistance, is very limited, if at all,” said Bastrop County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Fisher to the Austin American-Statesman. “There’s only so much a handful of brochures can give you.”

A buzz is building in the US and UK about the potential impact wind turbines might have on climates in and around the spinning blades. Initially, a resounding support backed many initiatives to get wind turbines out into the fields generating renewable energy, but now, many fear the outcome of a dependency on them that could change weather patterns and ultimately be an unreliable source of energy. So, are they wrong to be pessimistic?

Many say no. The issue, however, is that the underlying cons are being overshadowed by the overwhelming pros of a renewable source that offers zero emissions.

Recently, an article was published by the Washington Post that highlighted a study done by the University of Maryland. The study demonstrated how massive wind farms, on average, lowered wind speed by 5.5-6.7 MPH downwind of the turbines.

Toyota has a large and loyal following of drivers who have purchased the Prius and it’s still enjoying darling status with the media. The 2010 Prius brings new efficiency with that and is a reminder that Toyota is committed to delivering on the bottom line with more miles per gallon.

The previous version maxed out at 48 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway. The 2010 Prius pushes those numbers even further up to 51 city and 48 highway. Couple that with a more powerful engine for better acceleration and Toyota definitely is stretching toward drivers who were holding out for a car that combines fuel efficiency with conventional convenience.

Texas oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens has given up on plans to build a massive wind farm because of a lack of transmission lines, a bad capital market and the “steep downturn in natural gas prices.”

The much-heralded “Pickens Plan” to reduce the U.S.’s reliance on foreign oil is celebrating it’s one year anniversary, but this likely isn’t how Pickens – or wind energy advocates, for that matter – probably imagined it.

Pickens’ Web site said his goal is for the U.S. to produce 22 percent of its energy via wind. He still plans to go forward with smaller wind farms, but if Pickens isn’t willing to go head first into wind energy, many will follow the man known for taking calculated risks to acquire large companies and enter new industries.

Hyundai is well aware of the gold standard benchmark the 2010 Toyota Prius has set, and they are well aware that they cannot surpass Toyota overnight, but perhaps they realize they can ruffle a few feathers and maybe even make a move by next year in the hybrid market with the Hyundai Elantra and 2010 hybrid Hyundai Sonata.

From the beginning, the South Korean automaker has been relatively quiet amongst hybrid competitors and has not sought to challenge the big guns in a market already saturated with impressive MPGs. So instead, they took their time and created the world's first LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) car and are alternatively measuring KPL (Kilometers Per Liter) in a much less aggressive South Korean environment that offers Petroleum at just about half the cost of gasoline.

Until now, Toyota has taken a hands-off approach to plug-in hybrids largely due to the wild success of the Prius. That’s changed now with Toyota’s announcement that by 2012, it will be manufacturing a plug-in hybrid version of the Prius. The timing highlights how focused GM needs to be in maintaining its two year lead with the competing Chevy Volt.

Pricing for the 2012 Toyota Prius is expected to hover around $47,000 which is a bit higher than GM’s $40,000 projected starting price. Both automakers are supposedly targeting the mass market, but consumers will need to dig deep in order to justify investing that much in a car. This announcement also has battery manufacturers watching closely because Toyota’s joint venture with Panasonic will create new undulations in the market.

As the popularity of gas continues to tumble due to fears of emissions creating global warming and hybrid cars creating a better alternative, Exxon has interestingly backed lobby groups who discredit climate change in an attempt to change public perception.

Oil companies have a history of hiding and distorting truths in order to accelerate profits and stimulate demand. Unethical behavior ends up under the table because the public cannot discern the hidden truths from the publicized fallacies. That is, however, until financial records leak and spending patterns seize to line up with advertising campaigns promoting alternative energy and reduced emissions.

ExxonMobil, for years, has been promoting its brand according to current trends in an effort to appeal to the masses. As trends shift, so do Exxon's corporate stances and statements. Words like "environmental footprint" and "climate change" are currently being thrown around on their web site to boost their green image.

The issue is, ExxonMobil's money is not where their mouth is.