By John Chappell •
May 24, 2009
Food Not Bombs, a group dedicated to non-violent social change through feeding the needy, continues to find itself at the center of controversy as they enter their 30th year in existence.
Groups in New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, and Connecticut have run afoul of local laws that seek to stop them from handing out free meals in public places to those in need. Though all Food Not Bombs groups are independent, they share the common goals of feeding vegetarian meals to the hungry while also protesting war and poverty.
Food Not Bombs finds food that would otherwise be discarded - from restaurants, grocery stores, and other sources and prepares meals to anyone and everyone.
The Mohave Sun Power company is planning a project in Mohave County that could begin construction in the fourth quarter of 2010.
It will use 4,000 acres of land and employ concentrating solar power. Molten salt will be the storage medium.
Researchers at Arizona State Univerity and the University of New Mexico have named a Venezuelan diving beetle Agaporomorphus colberti in honor of the humorist.
One of the outstanding features of the species is the genitalia of the males. “This new species is similar to members of a clade within the genus exemplified by A. knischi…and unique in having similar, extremely complicated male genitalia…”
By Derek Markham •
April 20, 2009
Albiasa Solar of Spain and the Arizona Department of Commerce are set to announce the building of a $1 billion solar-thermal power plant near Kingman, Arizona, next year, which will provide power for up to 50,000 homes when fully operational in 2013.
“The arrival of Albiasa Corp. is yet another big step toward establishing Arizona as a leader in the sustainable-industries sector.” - Arizona Governor Jan Brewer
By Alex Felsinger •
March 15, 2009
An Arizona man who was caught by police in August 2008 after tying his horse to the back of his truck will face charges for animal cruelty in federal court this Tuesday.
Gorden Allen Bates tied a horse to the back of his truck and then proceeded to stop the vehicle and beat the animal with a PVC pipe while his 13-year-old daughter kicked it in the face. Luckily, a state trooper happened onto the scene.
By Andrew Williams •
March 10, 2009
Nissan have announced plans to roll out a ‘fast charge’ electric car network in Arizona, capable of topping up batteries in as little as 10-15 minutes.
The Japanese company has teamed up with EV charge-tech firm ECOtality and the Pima association of government’s, (representing the Tucson, Arizona region), to establish a pilot-scale network in readiness for the launch of Nissan electric cars in the US next year.
By Dave Tyler •
February 2, 2009
When you think of Gatorade and green, you probably think of that neonish color in the beverage. Maybe something along the lines of what Steelers coach Mike Tomlin got doused with last night. But the sports drink maker is also using solar power at a factory in Arizona to reduce reliance on the electric grid and control costs.
The Arizona Republic reports that Gatorade installed a 500-kilowatt solar system occupying more than an acre and a half on the roof of the distribution center attached to its manufacturing complex in Tolleson. That makes it Arizona’s largest customer-owned solar project. The panels allow Gatorade to save 40 percent on its electric costs for the distribution center.
By Wenona Napolitano •
January 23, 2009
Bonded Logic in Chandler Arizona has found a way to turn old blue jeans into environmentally safe insulation. This eco-friendly insulation resists microbial growth, contains no formaldehyde, is an LEED eligle product, is Class A fire rated, and is made from recycled blue jeans and denim scraps. Best of all…no itch or skin irritation.
The bad news is Bonded Logic’s Ultra Touch Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation is not readily available everywhere yet (Hello, Home Depot? Can you start carrying this product?). The good news is Michigan does have a distributor, Cotton Insulation, Inc, a woman owned and operated business in Comstock Park, MI. Even better news-you can purchase the cotton insulation directly from them.
By Becky Striepe •
January 6, 2009
One in 12 American’s water supply comes from the Colorado River. Increased mining and drilling for oil, natural gas, and uranium on its shores is threatening that supply.
[Creative Commons photo by Wolfgang Staudt]
The areas along the river are already suffering from drought, and getting at the resources there uses and pollutes the precious remaining water. Research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography estimates that the river could dry up in as little as 13 years.
