Costa Rica - Sustainable Development

Thomas L. Friedman: Costa Rica sets a standard for sustainable growth - NY Times.

Per Mr. Friedman Costa Rica has set up a sustainable growth economy that deals with the hidden charges of pollution and usage that are usually ignored. Very interesting.

Silicon Valley Network lays out green vision for region

Silicon Valley Network lays out green vision for region - Mercury News.Silicon Valley is an interesting place. On one hand the products associated with it (the process of making chips, which gave the valley it's name is pretty dirty, and don't even get me started on E-Waste) and even as it's moved to more of a web focus (Google currently, Yahoo, Netscape historically), there is still the computer hardware connection. And now pushing the future is VC backing (VC is concentrated in Silicon Valley) of alternate energy.From what I read of the press release was great press release!

The ideas are good, the challenge is implementation. What Silicon Valley is king of is innovation through the ability to bring together all the needed resources (people, money, connections) to rapidly grow a company in a new niche with the goal of making money. Companies are easily formed, and disolved in Silicon Valley and failure is seen as a learning experience. I read some place it take about 3 start ups experience to make on work. Historically Silicon Valley has been poor at the political way of pushing progress, where this document is pushing a private/public partnership.

Balance in Drilling and Conservation

Today's Thomas Friedman's column, Thomas L. Friedman: Making America Stupid and a review of his most recent book, 'Hot, Flat, and Crowded' (great excerpt). Review, A Chilling View of Warming is interesting.

My 2 cents, Mr. Friedman is getting too strident, I believe there needs to be a balance. Mr. Friedman is full of great ideas and his analysis of the Middle East is excellent. I agree with him on the need for alternate energy expansion in the US, the question is what is the best method. In his latest book, he is suggesting forcing it by having higher prices for fuel, such as a gas tax. As well as expanding the solar market through subsidies, that would then produce greater cost efficiencies as production increases.

My opinion is the US needs to:

• Expand drilling offshore, such as in California, as well as allow offshore windmills.
• Set a floor on Gasoline, such as at $4 a gallon. For lower income families, have a rebate so this tax does not hit the poor unfairly.
  
• Make gasoline taxes a percentage of the price of gasoline, instead of being fixed. This allows the transportation budget to stay constant.
• Establish prizes for solar and wind efficiencies.
• Use federal financing to create an interstate DC Power Grid.
• Allow use of oil from oil sands in Canada.
• Establish higher mileage requirements for cars and trucks.
• Establish a plan to wean the US off of imported oil.
• Increase standards for building efficiencies.
  
• Establish tax credits that energy efficiency, unfortunately many businesses unless there is a one year payoff will not do the investment. I admire WalMart's quote, we are not green, it just makes business sense.
• Require solar thermal water heaters on all new houses where it makes sense (South West of the US for example).
  

On subsidizing the solar, wind, and other industries it depends on the cost. There is a learning curve that with increased production, there is a decrease in production costs. I believe every time there is a doubling, costs come down 10%. The issue is how to do this to limit the negative economic impact. And has the previous alternate energy taxes made faster a reduction in solar costs? Germany's huge demand on solar actually seems to have increased the cost of solar cells on a short term basis, especially the cost of silicon. Companies do need have a secure environment in order to do investments, or have a high rate of return. With the price of oil and natural gas being so unstable, this is an issue for investments. What is important is to have stable funding for R&D, instead of every time the price of oil goes up, R&D into alternatives goes up, and when the price of oil goes down R&D crashes. Just think where we would be if the R&D started under President Carter had been continued till today.

Past Related Posts:

• What If - Carter's Energy Policy
• Oil Production, Demand, Technology, and Prices
• Al Gore's Energy Plan
• Solar in the News

The Eco-Kitchen Challenge

The Eco-Kitchen Challenge from the Wall Street Journal. Great read showing the challenges of making a Kitchen Green. On finding materials that is not giving out all sorts of nasty chemicals, to items that are energy efficient, to items made with renewable materials.

An example I have had personally is trying to figure out which Fluorescent Ballast uses electronic verses a magnetic driver. The electronic is a lot quieter and more efficient. Last time I looked at Home Depot I could not figure it out, and I worked 10 years as an Electronics Engineer!

The chemicals that are released by products is another headache (literally). I believe it will get easier and easier to build using eco friendly materials. There is going to be a period of Green Wash and marketing hype that will add to the challenges.

Green Houses sell Faster in San Jose

Green homes in San Jose sell fast from the Mercury News. 7 out of 9 houses offered were sold in a weekend for a new housing development that is green. Wow! And with the rebates they got from the government on adding solar (not mentioned - efficiency of adding solar during building and to multiple units), there was no added cost for adding. Think if they had also added solar water heating (sounds like only photo voltaic was added and the usual insulation, etc. to reduce heat loss).

In a down housing market, this is powerful. I hope other builders are paying attention.

Eco-Home in Arcadia

An article in the local paper about an Eco Home led to a quest to find out more information. Wow!
An old open house invite has a huge amount of information. I am amazed by the amount of details that went into the design - which is how it should be! I am starting to know how little I really know about building a green house.

Some of the design features/considerations:

• Location of sunlight
• Using greenhouse for winter warming
• Usual green appliances
• Heat vent tower for circulation of hot air (uses natural ventilation)
  
• Thermal characteristics of building material (thermal mass and ventilation)
  
• Heating due to sunlight and impact on design
• Usual wind direction, wind walls
  
• Usual appliance considerations
• Reversible Ceiling fans
• Rain water storage/capture
• PV System
• Courtyard - I do want one that is part of the house so it's integral. There is a Spanish style house in Monrovia that the courtyard is part of the house. Excellent design.
  

Green Subdivision in Silicon Valley

From the SJ Mercury News - San Jose's first "green certified" subdivision and the definition of this.

Keypoints:
1. Houses start at a Million. Of course in Silicon Valley the prices are still hard to believe. My family a couple of years ago rented a 900 square foot house in Cupertino and it was around $800K last I checked.
2. For the associated permits, it cost $1000.
3. The extra cost for being green did not add to the total cost of the house.
4. Still issues with green standards (which ones to go buy).
5. Main green features seems to be Solar and Double Pane Windows.

Green Status of US Companies

Mercury News article on Green Grades for companies. There is no unified standard for companies going green. I would go further and ask where is the incentive for going green for a company? Lots of companies claim to be green, but how green are they really? How big a priority is this for a company? My guess is most companies do the minimum so they can claim Green Status, and continue business as usual. Paper use is increasing per the report - so much for the paperless office that was promised with computers. If a company goes zero waste, that is impressive.

Green buildings are fascinating, but from what I have read this area is still developing and having a few growing pains along the way.