Green Options » California http://greenoptions.com/tag/california Posts tagged 'California' Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:44:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Transit Use Boom, but in Some Surprising Cities http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/22/transit-use-boom-but-in-some-surprising-cities/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/22/transit-use-boom-but-in-some-surprising-cities/#comments Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:44:03 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/22/transit-use-boom-but-in-some-surprising-cities/
Transit use boomed from 2006-2008, but not in traditionally transit-friendly areas. This shows hope for more transit use in traditionally car-oriented places in the US in the future.

An analysis of the most recent transit use data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that transit use grew by up to 47% in major metropolitan areas in the U.S. from 2006-2008, with several metro regions in the South and West growing by more than 10%.

The South and West, being more dominated by automobile-oriented development and auto use, have historically struggled to get significant transit ridership. However, the top ten cities with the highest recent increase in ridership include several metro areas in the South and West, including Charlotte, NC (47%), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (26.7%), Pheonix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ (23.6%), San Antonio, TX (15.1%) and others. This seems to shine a light of hope on increased transit use in the southern and western U.S. in the future.

First, however, why are we seeing a boom in these places?

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/22/transit-use-boom-but-in-some-surprising-cities/feed/ Healthier Fast Food? Try In N’ Out Burger http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/22/healthier-fast-food-try-in-n-out-burger/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/22/healthier-fast-food-try-in-n-out-burger/#comments Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:32:10 +0000 John Chappell http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/22/healthier-fast-food-try-in-n-out-burger/

In N Out is a burger chain on the West Coast with locations in California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.  They’ve been around since 1948 and have long prided themselves on good, fresh food.  Their menu is delectably simple - hamburger, cheeseburger, fries, and shakes.  That’s it.

If you’re a conscientious food consumer, eating fast food probably isn’t even on your radar, but at In N Out fast food isn’t synonymous with bad food or huge portions.  The USDA recommends consuming no more than 6 ounces of meat a day (see website), and in an age when fast food joints are routinely putting half a pound or more of meat in their burgers, In N Out hamburger patties are a refreshingly small 2 ounces.

At In N Out, a meal of a cheeseburger and french fries is only 880 calories (800 total if you omit the Thousand Island-esque spread from the burger), significantly less than the 1000+ calorie combo meals pitched by other fast food franchises.  You can look at the Nutritional Information for In N Outs’ various products.  And not only is the above meal short on calories, but also on price.  A cheeseburger, fries, and beverage will run you just $5.

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/22/healthier-fast-food-try-in-n-out-burger/feed/ Moving back to California, Discovering Almond Flour, and Devouring Banana Nut Muffins http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/21/moving-back-to-california-discovering-almond-flour-and-devouring-banana-nut-muffins/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/21/moving-back-to-california-discovering-almond-flour-and-devouring-banana-nut-muffins/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:48:15 +0000 Gina Munsey http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/21/moving-back-to-california-discovering-almond-flour-and-devouring-banana-nut-muffins/

Life flies past us so quickly, and sometimes I’m certain the sound of the wind is actually the sound of life flying by.  That’s the way it’s felt lately; a whirling blur, a constant hum, non-stop motion.  Since my last post in August, I’ve gone on a 14-state road trip, moved from the East Coast back to my beautiful California, and re-entered the corporate world after a year-long hiatus.  My husband quit his job to launch a graphic design business, we found a goat living on our new property, summer faded away into the brilliance of autumn, and I discovered almond flour.

Yes, that’s it.  I discovered almond flour. Extraordinary, delicious, versatile almond flour.

It’s not cheap — I paid about $35 for 5 pounds from my local co-op — but I’ve never enjoyed gluten-free baked goods more.  A single cup of almond flour provides the following nutrients:

  • 140% of the RDA for vitamin E
  • 80% of the RDA for magnesium
  • 60% of the RDA for phosphorus
  • 48% of the RDA for protein
  • 32% of the RDA of calcium
  • 16% of the RDA for folic acid

There’s more.  Almond flour also makes the best banana-nut bread/muffins ever.

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/21/moving-back-to-california-discovering-almond-flour-and-devouring-banana-nut-muffins/feed/ The Green Festival 2009 – San Francisco http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/11/16/the-green-festival-2009-%e2%80%93-san-francisco/ http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/11/16/the-green-festival-2009-%e2%80%93-san-francisco/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:55:49 +0000 Keith Rockmael http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/11/16/the-green-festival-2009-%e2%80%93-san-francisco/ As some of my colleagues and I wondered Friday (with less people) then Saturday (bobbed and weaved through the packed crowds) through the San Francisco Green Festival 2009 and we put aside any thoughts of the outside the green world bubble with the economic woes, with so many downtrodden uncreative businesses sticking to the old game plan. Here we viewed, tasted and discussed fresh innovative and mostly sustainable ideas.

We have to give the festival credit, maybe it seemed as though more authentic green businesses showed up at this year’s version. We didn’t see much corporate greenwashing like the not as Green as it used to be Burt’s Bees. Also, Coke owned Honest Tea sold its not so green corporate drink but that would be a minor quibble. Aside from checking out some of the various discussion groups (state of small Green business) and even some cooking demos (how to make organic stew) most of the time we spent wandering the trade floor.

Without spending too much time or words (we’ll post some more ramblings soon) here’s some of the cool stuff we found. Zen Honeycutt’s mother roped us in (or rather grabbed) us to introduce us to her daughter who is busy creating her own lavender empire with her practically lavish lotions, eyeshades and creams. Just down the long aisle, we spotted the reusable sandwich bag the Fresh Snack Pack. Great idea in place of the sandwich bags that get tossed. These packs contain no PVCs but we’d like to find out what these bad boys consist of. We had no doubt about what the Organic Essence lip balm consisted of. But we licked our lips for more than just the organic ingredients. The 100% FSC compostable non-plastic tube really wowed us. Why hadn’t someone thought of this before? Like us? We also ignored the wishes of our dentists and sampled the multitudes of chocolates, and we sampled them all but we liked Alter Eco bar (especially the dark) not only for the best and richest creamy favor but also for the organic ingredients and the fair trade philosophy that the relatively small company abides by.

As for 2010….bring it on!

]]> http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/11/16/the-green-festival-2009-%e2%80%93-san-francisco/feed/ A Passion for Fish and the Planet: Passionfish Restaurant http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/11/04/a-passion-for-fish-and-the-planet-passionfish-restaurant/ http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/11/04/a-passion-for-fish-and-the-planet-passionfish-restaurant/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:21:54 +0000 John Ivanko http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/11/04/a-passion-for-fish-and-the-planet-passionfish-restaurant/ Some people say you eat with our eyes. At Passionfish restaurant in Pacific Grove, California, you do so with your heart — at a place where the local is celebrated, showcased, and conserved. Sometimes, savoring a meal can nurture our body while helping preserve or restore the planet.  One day, every meal will be consumed this way.

While my family and I make every effort to eat local and lower on the food chain – mostly vegetarian – when we travel, we occasionally become “flexitarians” and enjoy a seafood dish or two when we’re at the edge of a vast ocean, perhaps with a wharf at the end of the street. At Passionfish, a restaurant nestled in the scenic Monterey Peninsula just a mile from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, we connected with the Pacific Ocean by both its salty breeze and through the food we savored.

Opening in 1997, Passionfish is the brainchild of Chef Ted Walter and his wife Cindy Walter. Besides being restaurateurs, the Walters’ might as well be called “marine activists.”  This dynamic duo have ambitions of changing the world by educating people about what they eat, especially if what they eat comes from the sea. Using their restaurant as the alluring (and delicious) platform, the couple promotes sustainable seafood as well as locally sourced, fresh, organic vegetables and fruits. Even their meat products are pasture-raised.

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]]> http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/11/04/a-passion-for-fish-and-the-planet-passionfish-restaurant/feed/ Green Music: The Treasure Island Music Festival http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/11/02/green-music-lessons-from-the-treasure-island-music-festival/ http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/11/02/green-music-lessons-from-the-treasure-island-music-festival/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:00:55 +0000 Becky Striepe http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/11/02/green-music-lessons-from-the-treasure-island-music-festival/

One of my friends recently attended the Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco and texted me about their awesome green initiatives. From the show. Yes, I’m sort of a nerd for this kind of thing.

We’re all about musicians lightening their footprints around here. According to the folks at Live Earth: “A single concert event can produce as little as 9,000 kilos (close 20,000 lbs) to as much as 90,000 kilos (197,000 lbs) of solid waste in a single day.” That’s a ridiculous amount of waste and doesn’t even take into account things like CO2 emissions from concertgoers driving to the venue or indirect emissions from the food and whatnot.

The folks at Treasure Island Fest set out to do things a little differently. Not only did they have a kickass lineup that’s making me more than a little bit jealous, they implemented all sorts of impressive green initiatives. Check our their greening and sustainability statement:

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]]> http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/11/02/green-music-lessons-from-the-treasure-island-music-festival/feed/ Spanish Solar Company SOLARIG Building 8 PV Parks in Italy http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/spanish-solar-company-solarig-building-8-pv-parks-in-italy/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/spanish-solar-company-solarig-building-8-pv-parks-in-italy/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:15:24 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/spanish-solar-company-solarig-building-8-pv-parks-in-italy/
SOLARIG, a company based in Spain that incorporated about four years ago, just began construction of eight photovoltaic parks in Italy this month. The parks will provide 8 MW of energy in total. Over the next few months, it plans to construct photovoltaic projects producing 30 MW throughout different regions of Italy.

But this is just the beginning. SOLARIG has a more global vision.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/spanish-solar-company-solarig-building-8-pv-parks-in-italy/feed/ Two Endangered Blue Whales Struck by Ships http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/23/two-endangered-blue-whales-struck-by-ships/ http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/23/two-endangered-blue-whales-struck-by-ships/#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:53:02 +0000 Jace Shoemaker-Galloway http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/23/two-endangered-blue-whales-struck-by-ships/ Blue Whale

Earlier this week, an ocean survey vessel reported feeling a “shudder underneath the ship” in the waters of northern California.  Soon after, a whale was spotted “bleeding profusely.”   A few hours later, an endangered blue whale washed ashore in a rocky cove in California.  According to reports, the apparent strike probably occurred about 7 miles from shore. 

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]]> http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/23/two-endangered-blue-whales-struck-by-ships/feed/ Show Your Support for Water Recycling in SF http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/10/21/show-your-support-for-water-recycling-in-sf/ http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/10/21/show-your-support-for-water-recycling-in-sf/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:23:15 +0000 Rhonda Winter http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/10/21/show-your-support-for-water-recycling-in-sf/ If you are going to be anywhere near San Francisco City Hall this afternoon, please consider going to the fourth floor to voice your support for greywater recycling. There will be a meeting at the Building Inspection Commission today to vote on a SF city amendment which is attempting to make it more complicated for city residents to recycle and conserve our own water.

Time: Wed, Oct 21, pm @ 2pm

Where: SF City Hall, Room 416

greywater barrelRain barrels made from recycled food grade containers for water conservation.

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]]> http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/10/21/show-your-support-for-water-recycling-in-sf/feed/ 7 African Countries to Get Utility-Scale Solar? http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/17/7-african-countries-to-get-utility-scale-solar/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/17/7-african-countries-to-get-utility-scale-solar/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:05:08 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/17/7-african-countries-to-get-utility-scale-solar/

California-based eSolar has just announced that it is expanding into southern Africa now. It has partnered with Johannesburg-based Clean Energy Solutions (CES) to create “eSolarSA” which will sell its concentrating solar power technology throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/17/7-african-countries-to-get-utility-scale-solar/feed/ New California Bill Gives More Money to Small-Scale Solar Projects http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/14/new-california-bill-gives-more-money-to-small-scale-solar-projects/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/14/new-california-bill-gives-more-money-to-small-scale-solar-projects/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:14:26 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/14/new-california-bill-gives-more-money-to-small-scale-solar-projects/

Governor Schwarzenegger just gave solar power a boost in California, especially for relatively small-scale solar generators.

Taking notes from Europe, perhaps, Schwarzenegger signed legislation for a “feed-in tariff” earlier this week that requires Calfornia utilities buy solar power from relatively small generators and at higher than market-value prices.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/14/new-california-bill-gives-more-money-to-small-scale-solar-projects/feed/ Harvey Milk Is Finally Honored http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/10/13/harvey-milk-is-finally-honored/ http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/10/13/harvey-milk-is-finally-honored/#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:38:01 +0000 Rhonda Winter http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/10/13/harvey-milk-is-finally-honored/ Harvey Milk

Visionary Civil Rights leader and revolutionary Harvey Milk has finally been honored by the state of California with an official day to celebrate his life and impact. Each May 22nd is now “Harvey Milk Day”. On that day state schools and educational institutions will now be encouraged to conduct relevant civil rights related exercises.

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]]> http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/10/13/harvey-milk-is-finally-honored/feed/ Wireless Climate-monitoring System for Better & More Crops http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/05/wireless-climate-monitoring-system-for-better-crops-and-its-solar-powered/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/05/wireless-climate-monitoring-system-for-better-crops-and-its-solar-powered/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:56:53 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/05/wireless-climate-monitoring-system-for-better-crops-and-its-solar-powered/

Turkey farmers growing greenhouse tomatoes have been using this technology since 2005. California is going to get it before the end of this year.

LA-based ClimateMinder now completely owns the Turkish company Kodalfa and it is eager to bring some of its technology to the US. This company’s “new” climate-monitoring and control system helps greenhouse farmers to monitor their crops and adjust the conditions of their greenhouses with wireless technology. This helps farmers and consumers in numerous and significant ways.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/05/wireless-climate-monitoring-system-for-better-crops-and-its-solar-powered/feed/ Highway 101 in California Goes Electric http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/01/highway-101-in-california-goes-electric/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/01/highway-101-in-california-goes-electric/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:07:35 +0000 Beth Graddon-Hodgson http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/01/highway-101-in-california-goes-electric/

The process of turning California’s Highway 101 into an electric roadway is beginning, and for a short period of time the charging stations that will be installed can be used for free. Beginning in October, Solarcity will be installing vehicle charging stations alogn Highway 101 between San Francisco and Los Angeles in order to reward those who have already made a move to adopt a cleaner lifestyle with clean technology in their vehicles.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/01/highway-101-in-california-goes-electric/feed/ BrightSource Splits Utility-Scale Solar Site With Giant Housing Developer http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/25/utility-scale-solar-splits-site-with-giant-housing-developer/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/25/utility-scale-solar-splits-site-with-giant-housing-developer/#comments Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:31:06 +0000 Susan Kraemer http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/25/utility-scale-solar-splits-site-with-giant-housing-developer/
It is easy enough for solar companies to sign contracts under new RPS laws requiring utilities to buy more and more renewable energy. But building any new power sites or transmission is fraught with difficulties, even when these are for a societal good like renewable energy.

But BrightSource has been creative in finding sites for its utility-scale solar thermal plants. Here’s a new example.

They have just made a deal with Nevada housing developer Coyote Springs Land Company to site a 960 MW solar thermal plant on 12 square miles of a 43,000 acre housing development planned before the economic real estate apocalypse. Some solar was part of Coyote’s original plan for its golfing community 50 miles north of Las Vegas, but not 12 square miles of it!

Now with housing in free-fall, the expertize of housing developers comes in handy to help us meet the need for more renewable energy. Solar power developers could piggyback on the experience of housing developers with the know-how to get through red tape.

This could be how renewable power overcomes siting hurdles - and how the construction industry digs its way out of a deep recession. A marriage made in heaven.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/25/utility-scale-solar-splits-site-with-giant-housing-developer/feed/ Editor’s Note: CleanTechnica Offers to Host Meg Whitman / Gavin Newsom Debate http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/24/editors-note-cleantechnica-offers-to-host-meg-whitman-gavin-newsom-debate/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/24/editors-note-cleantechnica-offers-to-host-meg-whitman-gavin-newsom-debate/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:54:39 +0000 Clayton B. Cornell http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/24/editors-note-cleantechnica-offers-to-host-meg-whitman-gavin-newsom-debate/ In response to the contention caused by Meg Whitman’s OP-Ed on rescinding AB32 climate-change legislation, and the pointed response by Mayor Gavin Newsom, CleanTechnica.com is formally offering to host a discussion between the two gubernatorial candidates.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/24/editors-note-cleantechnica-offers-to-host-meg-whitman-gavin-newsom-debate/feed/ REALLY, MEG? Suspending Climate-Change Legislation AB32 is Backwards Thinking http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/24/really-meg-suspending-climate-change-legislation-ab32-is-backwards-thinking/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/24/really-meg-suspending-climate-change-legislation-ab32-is-backwards-thinking/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:03:34 +0000 Gavin Newsom http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/24/really-meg-suspending-climate-change-legislation-ab32-is-backwards-thinking/ Meg Whitman penned an op-ed last week stating she’d suspend California’s landmark climate-change legislation, AB32, on her first day if elected governor. This is backwards thinking, and I disagree.

AB32

Experts estimate that the four largest clean-energy industries (solar, wind, biofuels, and fuel-cell) will have combined annual revenues of $255 billion by the middle of the next decade. The question isn’t whether the world will move towards cleaner living – the question is how soon this trend will take hold.

There is no better, more fertile place in the United States for green technology and green-collar jobs to take shape than California.

California’s challenge is competitiveness, grasping as much of the share of these markets as possible by being the industry leader in greenhouse gas abatement technology. To date, we’ve done a great job – California captured $6.6 billion in green capital between 2006-2008. And all these start-ups need workers; so green jobs have the potential to be for California what the defense industry was in 1980s.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/24/really-meg-suspending-climate-change-legislation-ab32-is-backwards-thinking/feed/ New Species of Ghostshark http://ecoworldly.com/2009/09/23/new-species-of-ghostshark/ http://ecoworldly.com/2009/09/23/new-species-of-ghostshark/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:50:54 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://ecoworldly.com/2009/09/23/new-species-of-ghostshark/

A new species of ghostsharks, a relative of sharks, was recently named. Ghostsharks (also called chimaeras, ratfish or rabbitfish) are some of the oldest fish alive today. The name of the newly identified but ancient species is Eastern Pacific black ghostshark.

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]]> http://ecoworldly.com/2009/09/23/new-species-of-ghostshark/feed/ Solar Energy Blowing Up, & in Surprising Places! http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/16/solar-energy-blowing-up-in-surprising-places/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/16/solar-energy-blowing-up-in-surprising-places/#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:07:49 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/16/solar-energy-blowing-up-in-surprising-places/

Global Solar Center just finished a comprehensive, 50-state survey of solar incentives and adoption. Who leads the nation? It is surprising. As they say, it is the states who were “solar laggards” that are now “solar leaders”. But incentives aren’t the only issue.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/16/solar-energy-blowing-up-in-surprising-places/feed/ Army’s Desert Tortoise Translocation Plans Successfully Halted http://ecoworldly.com/2009/09/14/armys-desert-tortoise-translocation-plans-successfully-halted/ http://ecoworldly.com/2009/09/14/armys-desert-tortoise-translocation-plans-successfully-halted/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:53:31 +0000 Rhishja Larson http://ecoworldly.com/2009/09/14/armys-desert-tortoise-translocation-plans-successfully-halted/ Desert tortoise image for article about stopping Army from moving them from Fort Irwin

The Army’s proposal to move 1,000 desert tortoises has been placed on hold by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, amid concerns over the Army’s previous plan that resulted in the death of 252 out of 600 tortoises.

The Center for Biological Diversity announced that a plan by the Army to move over 1,000 federally and state-listed threatened desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) from their Fort Irwin habitat to Bureau of Land Management lands has successfully been halted.

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