As the world continues to be shaken up by horror stories on Wall Street, it might be worth taking a few steps back to consider your immediate quality of life.

SustainLane, a San Francisco based green media company has just announced its brand new U.S. city rankings today. Starting in 2005, SustainLane went through an exorbitant examination of sustainability initiatives in U.S. cities looking at a variety of factors: average traffic commutes, affordable housing, waste diversion, green space, energy usage, green buildings, natural disaster risk, air quality, water quality, public transportation, local food sources, and government innovations. James Elsen, the founder of SustainLane explains it in his article What’s A Sustainable City, Anyway ?

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From  Green Options’ sustainablog

In SustainLane’s first city ranking, released in spring 2005, Portland came out on top, with San Francisco and Seattle not far behind. In the words of James Elsen, West Coast cities and “blue” cities (New York, Chicago, Boston) turned out to be way ahead in the green game than “red” ones. The latest city rankings report benchmarks each city’s performance in 16 areas of urban sustainability, including an essential new measurement this year: Water Supply.

>> Read the rest of this post at sustainablog 

BYD (Build Your Dreams) is China’s largest battery maker, and moving into the automotive industry.  BYD’s first plug-in hybrid planned for the Chinese market will be the F6DM mid-sized sedan in the second half of 2008, and use lithium iron phosphate batteries.  Its top speed is expected to be be 100 mph, with a range of 62 miles in all-electric mode and 267 miles total after the gas engine kicks in.  A fully electric version called the F6E is planned for 2009.  The F6E will be a 5 seater sedan with a top speed of 100 mph, range of 186 miles per charge, and expected battery lifetime of 2,000 cycles, or 373,000 miles.

The company is following this up with the impressive F3DM, which will be smaller, less expensive (selling for around $14,000 in China), and the company claims will have up to a 100 mile range in electric-only mode.  The F6DM styling is being compared to a Toyota Camry, while the F3DM (pictured above) is similar to a Corolla.

Currently BYD plans to sell the cars exclusively in China, expanding sales to Europe in 2-3 years.  However, Portland is trying to entice the company to bring the cars to the United States.

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The challenge, launched last year, honored its first winner this past June: a plan for a “Comprehensive Design for a Carbon Neutral World: The Challenge of Appalachia,” submitted by John Todd, a research professor at the University of Vermont and founder and president of Oceans Arks International. And just last month, the institute unveiled its Idea Index, which provides details on entries in every area from community and energy to transportation and water. It’s too much to take in all at once, so today, let’s look at some of the innovative ideas in one area alone: food.

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Some of the features of the remodel include:

• Preserving existing teak trim, mirrors, stone vanities and tubs.
• Using Forest Stewardship Council certified wood that adheres to all the practices of the Smartwood Rainforest Alliance.
• 40% recycled content tile on the walls and floors.
• Use of LED lighting custom designed by Eleek Lighting and Design.
• Shower heads that reduce water usage by 10 to 20 percent.
• Toilets that will reduce water usage by 50 percent.
• Approximately 95%, by volume, of the debris from the bathroom demolition was donated to Portland’s ReBuilding Center, the largest non-profit building materials resource in North America.

The Heathman is not new to sustainability and conservation.  It was one of Portland’s first hotels to receive incentives from the Energy Trust of Oregon for energy efficiency upgrades.  It also participates in Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program, purchasing 30 percent of its electricity from Blue Sky renewable sources.  Chris Erickson, the Heathman’s general manager, said, “We are thrilled to team with AMAA (Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects), a company that shares our sustainable values and commitment to community.  They’ve helped to take our existing sustainability efforts to the next level.”

The Heathman’s guests are invited to see, and experience, how luxury and sustainability can coexist.

According to Wikipedia, workforce housing has four defining elements:

• Affordability
• Home Ownership
• Key Workforce (in other words, composed of critical members of a community’s workforce such as police officers and teachers), and
• Proximity (to employment centers)

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What are the benefits of converting?

• For starters, if you have a little patience and a generous Japanese restaurant nearby, you can get free fuel. While Wendy’s overall doesn’t rank high on the eco-friendly factor, my dad has nearly 100 in the South that use WVO in the form of French fry oil to run their maintenance trucks. Lighter oils - like the kind used for tempura at sushi places are the best and easiest to filter
• Reduces sulfur gas (which contribute to acid rain) emissions by 99%
• And, according to Lovecraft, takes the refineries and war out of the equation

When you run low, you can always head over to Sam’s or Costco and pick up some veggie oil to get you by to your next filling station or you can fill up with diesel interchangeably. It’s not necessarily a permanent solution, but it’s a great temporary option to help get a little extra mileage without getting gouged at the pump. Although, based on gas prices alone in LA, it would probably take you 2-3 years to recoup your costs from a professional conversion (unless we hit $10 a gallon this winter).

It’s a question often heard from sustainability devotees who have been keeping an eye on the growth of the green housing market, yet still find themselves priced out due to the amount of up-front investment that is required when building green.

LEED ND Addresses Affordability

But the subject of affordability has finally entered the green building dialogue. The LEED ND rating system, which will go public early next year, has established a definition of sustainability that goes beyond energy savings. In addition to awarding points based on urban planning criteria such as utilization of infill sites and proximity to public transit, LEED ND also awards points based on affordability. Its Pilot Version Rating System awards 1-2 points (out of a possible 106 total points) for making “Affordable For-Sale Housing,” and offers three options for obtaining those points:

• Option 1: At least 10% of for-sale housing is priced for households up to 80% of the area median income (1 point),
• Option 2: At least 20% of for-sale housing is priced for households up to 120% of the area median income (1 point), or
• Option 3: At least 10% of for-sale housing is priced for households up to 80% of the area median income and an additional 10% of for-sale housing is priced for households at up to 120% of the area median income (2 points).

A Portland Neighborhood Earns Points for Affordability

Helensview Homes in Portland, OR, which recently received LEED ND Gold certification, is an example of a neighborhood that earned points for being affordable. The Helensview neighborhood was created by non-profit developer Home Ownership a Street at a Time (HOST); HOST’s homes are marketed to low- to moderate-income families, with the intention of helping renters become first-time homeowners. HOST has built more than 300 affordable homes in the Portland area since 1991. The Helensview neighborhood is presently under construction, and the current price range for one of these 2, 3, or 4 bedroom houses is $189,000 - $244,000. According to a May 2008 article in Sustainable Life, the median price for a home price in Portland is $339,900.

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Whatever the cause (and there’s good reason to blame all three to some degree), most so-called experts these days aren’t expecting oil prices to drop anytime soon. In fact, Newsweek this week features a sobering article titled, “The Coming Energy Wars,” that predicts we’ll soon see oil prices top $200 a barrel. When that happens, the authors warn, we can expect everything about our daily lives to change.

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In 2000, Gerding Edlen Development selected GBD Architects to renovate 5 blocks of historic brewery buildings located in a former industrial area of Portland, Oregon known as the Pearl District. The success of the Brewery Blocks project sparked a rebirth of the neighborhood; in 2005, The Sierra Club recognized the Pearl District as one of the nation’s best neighborhood redevelopment projects. Since that time, the district has continued to thrive; Gerding Eldlen’s latest building in the Pearl District, also designed by GBD Architects, is a 16-story condominium tower known as The Casey.

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Although I have access to a car and ample public transportation here in Portland, Oregon; every trip I take is by bicycle. Even if it is 40 degrees, raining and windy — I prefer to bike. Why would I chose to be miserable biking in this uncomfortable weather when I can be driving in a warm car sitting on a soft seat listening to my favorite music? The truth is that I truly enjoy it.

To me, driving is dulling to the senses and boring. While bicycling I feel and experience the many characteristics of the changing weather throughout my trip, and across the seasons. Yesterday it was wonderful to feel the misty rain on my face, and today riding in the rare winter sun was a treat. Pouring down rain? Easy, I just wear a brimmed hat and water resistant clothing. Too cold outside? Don’t worry, after a few minutes of riding I warm right up.

It is also an enjoyable challenge for me to ride amongst the cars. This probably isn’t true for everyone — I just have an adventurous spirit. I lived and biked in The Netherlands for a few months and I actually missed the challenge of creating my own route and maneuvering around cars. It is still important to aim to achieve the level of safety the Netherlands has accomplished; to offer the option of safe routes for less experienced riders, children and the elderly. Of course biking in Portland is very different from biking in most other cities. Portland has many bike amenities that make it safer and more convenient to bike.

In the 1960’s, The Netherlands discovered that the volume of cars was increasing and along with that, the number of bike and pedestrian injuries and fatalities. As a result, they poured money into bike and pedestrian infrastructure. In many cases they restructured entire towns. Many city centers were made car-free except for buses, taxis and delivery trucks (at specified hours). Physically separated bike paths were installed like this one in Groningen, NL.

This made bicycling and walking very safe. Rutgers University urban planner John Pucher and Lewis Dijkstra of the European Commission found that “Per-km and per-trip cycled, American bicyclists are twice as likely to get killed as German cyclists and over three times as likely to get killed as Dutch cyclists.”

They also found that in the US while bicycling you are 12 times more likely to have a fatal crash versus driving, per kilometer. Walking, is 23 times more dangerous. However, to put this in perspective , in the US there were 785 bicycling fatalities in 2005, 4,881 pedestrian fatalities and 43,443 automotive fatalities. On the other hand, a Danish study found that people who do not bike to work suffer a 39 percent higher mortality rate than those who do.

In Portland, the addition of bikeway miles has not increased since 2004, yet cycling has more than doubled since 2001, and the number of bike crashes has remained constant . This is consistent with the study that found the more cyclists and pedestrians on the roads, the safer the roads become.

It is very helpful that the City of Portland recognizes the value of investing in bicycle infrastructure. One of the main policy forces that is shaping and has shaped Portland is the Central City Transportation Management Plan. A main facet of that plan is that “Encouraging economic growth and housing in the Central City will increase the use of alternative transportation modes that result in less vehicle miles traveled by workers and residents.” Another main goal is “Increasing the use of mass transit, biking, walking, and carpooling as alternatives to single-occupant vehicles.” Thus, any development plans that filter through the city take into account these overarching goals.

In the next 15 years, the City of Portland is expected to grow by 300,000; from 560,000 to 860,000. The population of the metropolitan region is estimated to grow from 2.3 million to 3.3 million. Portland recognizes that investing in bicycle infrastructure achieves the set goals to increase the livability of the city. More cyclists on the roads decrease auto congestion, air pollution and traffic noise. It facilitates community interaction, which has been proven to benefit mental health. Cycling is also great for physical health. A Portland consulting agency found that Portland bicycle infrastructure brings in $63 million to Portland’s regional economy (which has a total value of $17 billion) and the bicycle industry accounts for 800 jobs.

There is also a wonderful bicycle culture in Portland. Group rides that are held nearly every day , bike festivals , bike blogs , bike advocacy organizations , bike film festivals and other bike fun encourage and support people to get on a bike.

But recycled grease represents a source of cheap energy to some, one that can be converted to biodiesel or used directly as a substitute for diesel fuel. Having collected waste oil for both of these ends, I can tell you I’ve always had a nagging suspicion that one day the ‘free’ ride would come to a screeching halt. It just wasn’t clear how soon it would end.

Some parts of the country are now facing fierce competition over this generally unknown but ubiquitous local resource. The Associated Press has dubbed it the “Grease Wars”:

Recycled cooking oil has traditionally been sold for use in cattle feed and cosmetics. But the segment going to biofuels has grown in recent years to account for about 20 percent of the used oil market, said Tyson Keever, co-founder of Sequential Pacific Biofuels, the state’s largest manufacturer of biodiesel.

Portland’s oil peddlers are now fighting over grease worth as much as $1.20 a gallon. “You have processors now in the metro area who are looking at using that grease for biodiesel primarily,” said Mike McCallum, president and CEO of the Oregon Restaurant Association. “There are restaurants who are being solicited for the use of the grease and are getting some money for it.” The result in the long run may be more expensive biodiesel at the pump.

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This fall, the City of Portland sponsored the Portland Courtyard Housing Design Competition, which solicited ideas for urban infill housing that would appeal to families with children. In the face of rising housing costs, Portland has identified shared courtyards as offering similar lifestyle benefits to detached housing, while remaining affordable and increasing urban density.

The competition brief requested that entrants pay particular attention to the potentially conflicting roles of the courtyard space itself. Could a recreational space share turf with automobiles? Could the courtyard offer homeowners some privacy while still being connected to the larger streetscape? And could it fulfill all of these criteria while still functioning sustainably?

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Portland has been recognized for decades as a leader in urban planning. Today its progressive philosophies are being applied to environmental policy-making. Tackling sustainability on an urban scale, the Portland Development Commission has conceived a model neighborhood known as the Lloyd Crossing Sustainable Urban Design Plan. A massive undertaking, the Plan sets goals and objectives that are intended to guide development over the next 45 years.

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At Little Marmara, we believe in simple things. That we should treat the environment as we would treat ourselves. That nothing should go next to our children’s beautiful skin that we would not place next to our own. That clothing for little people can and should be as artful and well made as clothing for big people. And that at no point from the cotton fields to our customers should the earth or any of its inhabitants suffer in the slightest for our cause.

Founded in 2005, Little Marmara just recently launched its website and online store in July of this year. Unable to find anything she liked (and her two kids felt comfortable wearing), Ackerman started Little Marmara to solver her own clothing conundrums as well as those of other parents and their kids. Made from 100% organic Turkish cotton under fair labor practices, all of Little Marmara’s creations are printed with low impact dyes, featuring gender-neutral Turkish designs from the Ottoman Empire era. The designs, and the brand itself, is a nod to Ackerman’s children’s Turkish heritage, with the line taking its name from the Marmara Sea and the ancient Middle Eastern trade routes that used to follow its shores.

So far, the line currently only features long-sleeve shirts and cuddly, machine washable pillows that come with their own bag. Ranging in size from 6-12 months to 4T, all shirts are $28 each, perfect for warm days or laying as the temperatures drop. The future holds great things for Little Marmara, including organic cotton pants, blankets, sweaters, hats, washcloths, towels and even toys. With our whole world connected via the internet, bridging the East with West and the North to South, our society seems to be so quick to forget about combining the past with the future and the Earth with ourselves. Our children learn from everything they see, hear, touch, or wear — Little Marmara is a great way to introduce our next generation to our newly-established world culture.

Among the variety of green fashion brands, Portland-based MEWV (pronounced "move") is one of the few that offers their creations in the widest range of sizes - Extra Small to 4X. Unlike other brands that simply expand the measurements of their smaller sizes to fit larger women, MEWV’s plus-size line was designed independently from their smaller collection, styled especially to fit bigger women and their unique shapes. The assortment of sustainable fabrics used in MEWV’s line is also worth noting: organic cotton, bamboo, soy, tencel, and hemp; all infused with just a bit of lycra to add comfort and extend the life of the garments.

Other than their commendable size range, MEWV also boasts another feature in its line that I haven’t seen before - no buttons, zippers, or hooks. Why? The metals and plastics used to make these common fasteners are not sustainable (at least not yet). Personally, I think this also enhances the fit of the dresses, you know, because you don’t have a zipper poking you in the spine. MEWV’s latest collection will be on the runway at Portland Fashion Week tomorrow night, and I’ll be wrapping up every evening’s events on my blog, in cooperation with Portland’s #1 eco-fashion store Greenloop, so make sure to tune in.

Greenloop is one woman’s creative endeavor in market based environmental activism. The mission is simple: Green Life. Green Style. At Greenloop, the alignment of style and sustainability, of aesthetics and ethics, provide all of us with the opportunity to look good, feel good, and do good. All of the goods at Greenloop are made by conscientious companies who are committed to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Greenloop is committed to supporting the development of environmentally responsible, renewable energy and to stopping global warming. To this end, we purchase Green Tags for each order placed making each shopping experience even greener.

Featuring one of the widest variety of green fashion and beauty collections, Greenloop has been a key factor in the progress and availability of the sustainable lifestyle. A proud member of Co-op America and 1% For The Planet, Greenloop carries a wide variety of brands, all of which feature one or more of the following eco-friendly elements:

…using eco-friendly, sustainable materials; employing energy efficient and low-impact production; investing in renewable energy and carbon offsets; and maximizing recycling and waste reduction. In addition to these practices, Greenloop supports fair trade, organic farming, sweat-shop free production, and environmental non-profit groups through in-kind and financial donation.

Head over to Greenloop’s extensive online store today for exceptional discounts - their summer sale only lasts until July 31st! "Make a conscious choice to make a difference. If you are going to be a walking billboard, be a billboard for a cause. Small changes and conscious choices can produce big change."

Solaicx, a manufacturing company that produces high-efficiency silicon wafers for photovoltaic solar power, has announced a new facility planned for Portland, Oregon.

The 136,000-square-foot plant will produce silicon ingots, which are logs of pure silicon that get heated to high temperatures and sliced like lunch meat to make silicon wafers. The wafers are the semiconductor materials in solar panels. The process for producing and processing silicon wafers for solar power is difficult and expensive, but Solaicx claims it uses silicon more efficiently and thus creates a more cost-competitive product.

The plant will provide about 100 new green collar jobs and, by the time it reaches full capacity in 18 months, may produce enough material for 142 megawatts of solar panels.

Why Portland? The Oregon Department of Energy created a Solar Energy Working Group charged with developing and implementing a strategic plan to lure clean tech companies to Portland. Jeff Jones, Vice President of Manufacturing for Solaicx, said the state’s incentives were key in the company’s decision to locate there:

"We looked at the state of Oregon's generous financial incentives for renewable energy and Portland's deep base of skilled labor in silicon manufacturing, and decided that the port is an ideal place for our continued growth as a company. This welcoming atmosphere will allow us to meet our goals and rapidly ramp-up to full production by the end of 2008."

Although many manufacturing facilities are located in or are moving to China, precision manufacturing is expanding in the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

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Oregon Energy Model
Solaicx