Given the COP15 Conference taking place in Denmark this December, it seemed appropriate to highlight the Kyoto Protocol, the international greenhouse gas reduction agreement that is to be succeeded by a new compromise in Copenhagen. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on December 11, 1997 and entered into force on February 16, 2005. [...]
Archive for October, 2009
Stimulus Funds Released To Develop Smart Grid
October 29th, 2009 
Eric Wilson Tuesday marked the beginning of what could be the turning point in modernization of the nation’s electricity grid. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), “President Barack Obama . . . announced the largest single energy grid modernization investment in U.S. history, funding a broad range of technologies that will spur the nation’s transition to [...]
Coming Soon: 3 Part Series on Japan
October 28th, 2009 Justin Manger Having just returned from a one week business trip to Japan, lifestyle differences with regards to energy use, waste, and conservation are on my mind. I’ll be writing a three part series on Japan shortly but for now wanted to lead off with a brief rundown of some of the ways Japan is very different [...]
Posted in Conservation, Energy Efficiency, Japan, Justin Manger 
Tags: Energy Conservation 
No Comments »Update: Toxic Drywall
October 27th, 2009 Eric Wilson Several months ago 2nd Green Revolution reported on a story from NPR about toxic drywall imported from China in the post-Katrina building boom. Today, NPR ran a follow up story on the materials. According to the story, “Emissions from the drywall corrode plumbing and electrical systems.” Furthermore, “Homeowners also blame them for headaches and respiratory [...]
SMA Solar Technologies To Build Largest Solar Production Facility in US
October 26th, 2009 Eric Wilson As reported today on KCFR, Colorado Public Radio’s all-news station, Germany’s SMA Solar Technology is planning on building the largest solar production facility in the United States. The manufacturing center will be located in Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood. According to the company’s website, SMA is the world leader in solar inverter technology with a total installed [...]
Posted in Clean Technology, Eric Wilson Tags: Alternative Energy, Clean Energy, Colorado, Denver, Solar Energy No Comments »Five Friday Facts
October 23rd, 2009 Justin Manger The building sector is responsible for over 40% of US carbon dioxide emissions – more than the entire economy of any other country except China. As a rough estimate, a green school could lead to the following annual emission reductions per school: 1,200 pounds of nitrogen oxides (NOx) – a principal component of smog 1,300 [...]
Posted in 2nd Green, Energy Efficiency, Five Friday Facts, Green Building Tags: 2nd Green Revolution, Green School No Comments »Poll: Economic Growth and The Clean Energy Economy
October 20th, 2009 Eric Wilson With the news this past week of the Dow Jones Industrial Average surpassing 10,000 and economists claiming the recession is over (in the United States and abroad), we got to wondering what role the clean energy economy plays in the global economy’s future. Take a moment to vote in this poll. The results are not [...]
Association for the Study of Peak Oil’s Colorado Conference
October 18th, 2009 Eric Wilson Last month in Sacramento, CA and last week in Denver, CO, The Association for the Study of Peak Oil (ASPO) convened to discuss the idea that crude oil supplies have diminished to the point where the amount which remains unearthed is less than that which has already been extracted. The 5th annual ASPO-USA conference presented [...]
