Talking Green

List of Senate Stimulus Cut

I don't think the Senators understand 'the severity' of the economic crisis we face, especially Republican Senators. These guys are so out of touch with the reality! They just don't get it. Some items are trimmed partially and some are completely toss out. For example, items that are completely tossed out: $40 bil state stabilization fund, $1.2 bil retrofitting project 8 housing, $2.25 bil neighborhood stabilization, $100 mil distance learning, $98 mil school nutrition, $16 bil school construction, etc.

Here's Paul Krugman saying it.

In particular, aid to state governments, which are in desperate straits, is both fast — because it prevents spending cuts rather than having to start up new projects — and effective, because it would in fact be spent; plus state and local governments are cutting back on essentials, so the social value of this spending would be high.

What's cut, via CNN.

Partially cut:

• $3.5 billion for energy-efficient federal buildings (original bill $7 billion)

• $75 million from Smithsonian (original bill $150 million)

• $200 million from Environmental Protection Agency Superfund (original bill $800 million)

• $100 million from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (original bill $427 million)

• $100 million from law enforcement wireless (original bill $200 million)

• $300 million from federal fleet of hybrid vehicles (original bill $600 million)

• $100 million from FBI construction (original bill $400 million)

Fully eliminated

• $55 million for historic preservation

• $122 million for Coast Guard polar icebreaker/cutters

• $100 million for Farm Service Agency modernization

• $50 million for Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service

• $65 million for watershed rehabilitation

• $100 million for distance learning

• $98 million for school nutrition

• $50 million for aquaculture

• $2 billion for broadband

• $100 million for National Institute of Standards and Technology

• $50 million for detention trustee

• $25 million for Marshalls Construction

• $300 million for federal prisons

• $300 million for BYRNE Formula grant program

• $140 million for BYRNE Competitive grant program

• $10 million state and local law enforcement

• $50 million for NASA

• $50 million for aeronautics

• $50 million for exploration

• $50 million for Cross Agency Support

• $200 million for National Science Foundation

There's more here..

How Building Sector Can Make A Difference..

 LIVE FROM ECOBUILD WASHINGTON

Just got back from High Performance Building Caucus Coalition meeting. Ed Mazria (with Architecture 2030) opened the meeting this morning. This is the second time I heard him talking. Very impressive. First he talked about Obama's transition economic package, the challenges facing building industry, and the opportunities for the industry to make a difference.

He says, that "with the economic package for all new buildings to be carbon-neutral, zero emission by 2030, there's a lot of opportunity for the industry pushing the envelope" since 76% of U.S. electricity consumption is for building operations. He says, that each year in the US, we build approximately 5 billion s.f., 72 billion s.f. of offices is potential for tear down, another 150 bil s.f. for renovation, so by 2038 three-quarters of buildings in the U.S. will either be new or renovated. The transformation for build environment is to dramatically reduce energy consumption and the need for coal-fired power plants.

Why efficiency? It saves consumer money. Simple as that..

Opportunity lies in energy construction reduction legislations, i.e. where Federal buildings targeted 55% reductions in energy by 2010, carbon neutral by 2030. Gave example of recent California legislation that require Net Zero Energy buildings.

The 2030 challenge calls for: 1) all new buildings and renovations to cut 50% of annual consumption, if we do this we wiped out the increase and aim for coal reductions. 2) There should be fossil fuel reduction standard for all buildings be increased to 60% in 2010, 70% in 2015, 80% in 2020, and carbon neutral by 2030.

Ed recommends ramping up the National Model of Building Energy Code Standard, with target dates by 2010 30% of buildings below code, 50% below code by 2016, 75% below code by 2022 and by 2028 will be carbon neutral or zero emission. He also mentioned about asking the Fed for $84.6 billion for building energy efficiency buildings that over 5 years will save consumer $170 billion.

--

** Notes:
- There's a lot of detail that goes between the last paragraph. However, because he talks so fast, I couldn't even read some of my handwriting :-)
- Images pulled from Architecture 2030 website.
- EcoBuild suppose to have the video clip of the meeting sometime soon..

Resources:

* The 2030 Blueprint

* Meeting the 2030 Challenge Through Building Codes

2.5 M Jobs and Green Stimulus

IN A NUTSHELL, what Obama's 2-year plan (transcript here) is for reviving the current (in the tank) Bushonomy.. via Bloomberg.

“It will be a two-year, nationwide effort to jumpstart job creation in America and lay the foundation for a strong and growing economy,” Obama said. “We’ll put people back to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, modernizing schools that are failing our children, and building wind farms and solar panels; fuel-efficient cars and the alternative energy technologies that can free us from our dependence on foreign oil and keep our economy competitive in the years ahead.”

Sounds like the long due windfall for the renewable energy industry - is finally here.

Obama is not alone in recommending rebuilding green infrastructure. Deutsche Bank also recommends green economic stimulus.. via Green Wombat.

Deutsche Bank (DB) recommends a green infrastructure bank focus on energy efficiency, the transmission grid, renewable energy and public transportation. The green bank would dispense federal funding, make grants to states and cities, issue loans to governments and companies, underwrite public and private bonds, and provide tax credits for public and private projects.

No mentioned of price tag yet for this kind of stimulus on DB report. But, look like it would be much lower than the $700 bil bailout.

Green Collar Economy

I was at the Green Collar Economy event hosted by Center for American Progress yesterday. The featured speakers are Congresswoman Hilda Solis (D-CA) and Van Jones, founder and president of Green for All. You can see that the mood for green is high. The room was packed with spillover to the side of the room.

Congressman Hilda Solis was just here for a few minutes to deliver her speech. She talks about the new 'green' industrial revolution and how the jobs created are jobs that can't be outsourced. Then she also talk about the vocational school for adults in East LA (her district). She's impressed to see how the classroom was full with adults looking to make career change.

Van Jones speaks about the green collar economy. He writes a book with the same title. (This was like his book tour). Van Jones talks about variety of topics among others, how the green collar jobs could help minorities to get into the pathway of self-suffiency. It's pretty much topics taken from his book.

He said that "..something bad must have to happen before you see what you can do." Because for the past 30 years, the economy model by definition was not sustainable. It was built on the premises of 1) consumption, 2) economy was based on debt, and 3) environmental destruction. Consumption is what made China produced the products cheap for U.S. consumers. We can't have sustainable economy if it's built on credit cards!

The easiest thing to do for green economy is retrofitting America, that will repower America. Retrofit buildings, homes, is the low hanging fruit, he says. We have off-the-shelf technology available out there, i.e. as simple as caulking. (It's funny how he talk about caulking. Because caulking is the most overlook retrofit technique anyone can do and it's cheap, too). Less energy equals to less energy production needed to heat and cool and thus the need to build coal plants. Retrofitting also will bring up the home value, so in essence pays for itself.
 
I agree with his view that retrofitting is the low hanging fruit and the easiest thing to do for people. There is so much we could do to retrofit a house from the low $50 (weatherstripping, caulking) all the way to thousands of dollars. The choice is yours. Whatever budget you have to work with.

You're right, Jones. With the way the economy is going, this is probably the best time to make the changes we need to create sustainable economy for the future...

Just Imagine..

.. the impact will be - IF this is what your competition say about 'your' business...

“He has the best political organization for a presidential campaign that I have ever seen here,” Tom Slade, a former state Republican chairman, said of Mr. Obama. “Bar none. He has run a phenomenally good campaign.” [via NYT]

People tend to forget that a political organization is a biz, too.

Wall Street Meltdown Links

"DOW PLUNGES 500 POINTS"

Financials - Winners and Losers [CNBC]

The End of Wall Street [Fortune]

Fed Holds Fresh AIG Crisis Talks [Financial Times]

AIG & Your Insurance Policies [MarketWatch]

The Lehman Effect: Look at What You've Done to Dick Bove! [DealBreaker]

Is BofA Getting a Bargain in Merrill Lynch? [Deal Journal]

Before Economy Stabilizes, Housing Must [MSNBC]

WaMu is Cut to Junk by S&P on Mortgage Losses [Bloomberg]

After Lehman, Industry Eyes Shift to Aurora [Housing Wire]

Renewables Spin

GE pumps more than $4 billion to renewable energy including $100 M into three NY wind farms.

Indonesia is allocating more land to plant rice.

The U.S. can learn a lot from Europe on energy conservation.

States are leading the Feds when it comes to green energy policy.

Foreclosure might be happening in other parts of the U.S. but it's solar land rush in the Southwest.

Tesla in your future?

Do you know that cars is the most recycled commodities.

Swiss has adopted an aggressive advance feed-in-tariff much like Germany except it is the first to include specific tariff for small wind turbines.

The city of Anaheim about to get clean 10 MW geothermal energy supply from Raser Technologies three wells in Beaver county, Utah.

Two-Sides Va. Administration's Energy Policies

This is interesting. The Gov, apparently has two sides to his energy and environmental policies. On one (wrong) side, Governor Kaine backs the 'controversial coal plant' for Wise county - yeah, coal that is - at the burden of Virginians in which the end-users supposed to pay for a coal plant? You gotta be kidding, right? In this day age. Story on Dominion Power Wise coal plant  here, here, here and here.

On the other side, the Gov proposed two amendments to energy and climate change bills 1) for a separate entity "Virginia Commission on Energy and Environment" and 2) 40% energy use reduction over the next fifteen years (2023).

"[G]overnor Kaine proposed amendments to SB464 (Whipple).  This bill creates the Virginia Commission on Energy and Environment.   The Governor’s amendments direct the Commission to work with the Department of Environmental Quality to establish a voluntary greenhouse gas reporting system.  Under this system, DEQ will request that all stationary sources of air pollutants that are required to report emissions under the Air Pollution Control Act include greenhouse gas emissions under the report.  The system would also require DEQ to request annual information from the Department of Transportation regarding annual vehicle miles traveled, traffic trends, and characteristics of vehicles.  DEQ would provide the Commission with the information gathered annually.

 

The Governor also proposed an amendment to SB596 (Norment) that would set as the official policy of the Commonwealth a goal of reducing the projected increase in energy use in Virginia over the next fifteen years by 40%.  The 40% conservation goal matches the goal set by the Virginia Energy Plan, approved by the Governor last summer."

In today's climate change, proposing the two amendments is great move. However, with the coal plant issue still hanging in which he is a 'staunch' supporter of the plant - I wonder what the Gov is trying to do.

:: Virginia Energy Plan [pdf]

Green It Arlington Workshops

In an effort to Green it Arlington, the county sponsored a series of workshops for the public: Green home, green condo and green business.

Here is a list of some of the upcoming workshops in connection with Green it Arlington.

GREEN BUSINESS WORKSHOPS

Green Power for Work and Home
Thursday, April 3, 20087-8:30pm
Arlington Central Library
1015, N. Quincy Street, Arlington

Greening Your Small Business
Wednesday, May 28, 2008, 7-8:30pm
Same place as above (at Arlington Central Library)

GREEN HOME WORKSHOPS

Green Remodeling Class in Spanish
Saturday, April 12, 3-4:30pm
Arlington Home Show and Expo
Walter Reed Community Center
2909, S. 16th St.

Raingardens for Homeowners
Town of Herndon, Herndon Council Chambers,
765 Lynn Street, Herndon
For more information or to register, call 703-787-7300.

Green Kitchens and Bathrooms
Monday, May 19, 2008, 7-8:30pm
Shirlington Library, 4200 Campbell Ave, Arlington
FREE. No reservations required.

Good thing about all of these workshops, they're all FREE. What else do you ask more? For more information on the workshops, the info is below.

* Complete list of the Green It Workshops [pdf]

So. Baptist Speaks Up

Al Gore was right when he said that 'climate change is a moral issue.' Southern Baptist pushes for tougher action combating climate change, via NYT.

A 2007 resolution passed by the convention hewed to a more skeptical view of global warming.

In contrast, the new declaration, which will be released Monday, states, “Our cautious response to these issues in the face of mounting evidence may be seen by the world as uncaring, reckless and ill-informed.”

The document also urges ministers to preach more about the environment and for all Baptists to keep an open mind about considering environmental policy.

Jonathan Merritt, the spokesman for the Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative and a seminarian at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., said the declaration was a call to Christians to return to a biblical mandate to guard the world God created.

Technocrati tags: climate change, global warming, southern baptist, al gore