Green Options

Florida Rep. Alan Grayson has just utterly transformed the health care debate in the United States with his speech from the House floor. “I’m just saying what everyone else has been thinking,” explains Grayson.

Last week Florida Congressman Alan Grayson accurately and succinctly explained the Republican Health Care “Plan”: Don’t get sick. And if you do get sick, just please die quickly. His passionately honest retort against our nation’s “no-mongers” has spread across the country faster than a California wildfire.

Brave New Films has just created this short video which clearly exposes the utter hypocrisy and obdurate cruelty of Republican

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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.

A 150 lb feral pig has emerged as an unlikely hero after evading capture by the authorities in Florida for an incredible five months.

The pig, dubbed ‘Wilbur’ or the ‘freedom pig’ by supporters, has survived being shot with tranquiliser darts and a taser stun gun since first appearing in a park in the Cove neighbourhood of Panama City.

Last week, Mary Sittman a follower on the “Pig of the Cove” Facebook group launched to chronicle the pig’s adventures asked, “Is the pig a symbol of our desire to live free of government controls?”

By David Sassoon. Originally published May 28, 2009, at Solveclimate

If Florida embraced its solar and wind power potential and got 20 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2020, it would create 37,000 new jobs, generate more than $16 billion in economic activity by 2025, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 319 million tons, a new study commissioned by the state Department of Environmental Protection shows.

The just-released report examined 28 policy measures in Republican Gov. Charlie Crist’s 2008 Climate Action Plan, including the 20 percent by 2020 renewable electricity standard.

In all, it found that implementing the full Climate Action Plan could add almost 150,000 new jobs and bring almost $40 billion in increased economic activity to the Sunshine state.

Unfortunately, the Florida legislature undermined the governor’s efforts to turn that renewable energy standard into law this spring during what longtime observers of the statehouse said was one of the most dysfunctional and depressing legislative sessions in memory.

Scientists found unusually high levels of flame retardant in dolphin blubber.

The closer the dolphins lived to downtown Miami, the more of the chemical was concentrated in them. The flame retardant can cause sterility in dolphins. Brominated flame retardants are applied to furniture, clothes and electronics to prevent them from burning. They also help slow the ignition of items that are in a burning room.

Humane Association of Wildlife Care and Education (H.A.W.K.E.) is a not-for-profit group that rehabilitates rescued animals. They help injured animals like Patty, an orphaned baby river otter.

I have to admit here that I have often joked about wanting a pet otter. Raising a baby otter is little different in real life, though. According to H.A.W.K.E.’s website:

It takes over a year to raise and care for a baby otter and thousands of dollars in food. They have to stay inside in a incubator and kept warm and given a special otter formula milk when they are this small.

All of that care gets expensive! Combine that with rising food and gas prices, and H.A.W.K.E. is in desperate need of support! If you want to help H.A.W.K.E. take care of Patty and the other critters they’ve rescued there are a few things you can do to help:

“Everyone is jumping on the green bandwagon,” said Victor Alonso, the design officer for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Congressman Alcee Hastings recently wrote a letter addressed to President Obama regarding the extremely small population of wild panthers living precariously in south Florida. He spoke of the two main threats to the critically endangered animal: habitat loss and death from car accidents.

Florida Power and Light is teaming up with a real estate company to build the first solar-powered city.

Not only will Babcock Ranch, the planned community near Fort Myers, run on solar, the 75 Megawatt photovoltaic power facility they’re planning will produce more power than residents will use. The facility will be the world’s largest, at 350 acres. Developer Kitsch & Partners hopes the community will demonstrate that sustainable living is not just feasible but economically practical.

Check out some awesome renderings of the community!

The first 100% solar powered city in the U.S. is in the works, and will be powered by the world’s largest photovoltaic plant.

The eco-city, called Babcock Ranch, is a joint venture between a real estate developer, Kitson & Partners, and Florida Power & Light, and will be located near Fort Myers, Florida.