Get over to the IBCEE website and join!
"We are Indiana business owners, managers, entrepreneurs, and investors who recognize the economic value of setting a national cap on carbon emissions. We support meeting emission reduction goals through energy efficiency, technology innovation, and a diverse energy supply. We recognize the severe economic risks related to climate change and we support immediate action to mitigate these risks."
The Green Business Network is hosting a seminar on Greenhouse Gas Legislation on Thursday, September 3 from 5-9pm at the Columbia Club in Indianapolis. To register and get directions go to the Green Business Network registration page. Though the House narrowly passed a climate change bill in late June, the Senate is moving slowly, partly due to its preoccupation with health care legislation.
A recent article in the New York Times noted that ten Democratic Senators from coal-producing states have sent a letter to President Obama noting the kinds of protections they want from a climate bill in order to lend it their support:
"They called for transition aid for energy-intensive manufacturers in
the form of rebates on their energy costs; negotiation of a strong
international agreement on emissions; programs to monitor emissions in
other countries; and significant financing for clean energy technology (my emphasis).
The authors also proposed “border adjustments,” tariffs, on goods from countries that do not agree to an international program for carbon dioxide reductions. The House bill gives the president the power to impose such penalties on goods from countries that do not adhere to an international climate change regime.
The 10 senators were Evan Bayh of Indiana; Sherrod Brown of Ohio; Robert C. Byrd and John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia; Bob Casey and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania; Russ Feingold of Wisconsin; Al Franken of Minnesota; and Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan."
Most experts believe that some kind of carbon limiting legislation will be passed in the next year, and business owners of all sizes will want to know how to plan ahead and take advantage of tax incentives, etc. Thanks to Lena Lucas and the Green Business Network for organization these informative events.
Production chains that no longer make sense include that of Tesla's electric-powered cars, whose 1,000-pound battery packs were made in Thailand, shipped to Britain for installation, with the partially-assembled cars shipped to the U.S. Now they'll be entirely made in California.
"Globe-spanning supply chains — Brazilian iron ore turned into Chinese steel used to make washing machines shipped to Long Beach, Calif., and then trucked to appliance stores in Chicago — make less sense today than they did a few years ago....The cost of shipping a 40-foot container from Shanghai to the United States has risen to $8,000, compared with $3,000 early in the decade, according to a recent study of transportation costs. Big container ships, the pack mules of the 21st-century economy, have shaved their top speed by nearly 20 percent to save on fuel costs, substantially slowing shipping times." --The New York Times
Other signs of the "neighborhood effect":
- Ikea opened a factory in the U.S. and more furniture is being made in America
- Electronics companies who moved to China from Mexico are moving back
- Chinese steel exports to the U.S. are falling while U.S. production rises
- Avocadoes in Chicago in January and bananas all year round will make less and less sense
Image Credit: www.carboncommentary.com
A story in today's New York Times highlights the gains made in energy savings in the UK through the increasing use of Smart Meters. Smart Meters provide real-time information on energy use so that homeowners can immediately see the effect of appliances, light bulbs, and computers on their energy usage and, their bills. It has been shown that such feedback (as any Prius owner will tell you) changes behavior, especially as the cost of energy rises.
In the UK, where creaking old homes vastly outnumber sleek new "green" homes (as they do in most cities of the world), Smart Meters are fostering such energy-saving behaviors as:
Britain's Low Carbon Trust has been a major force in making the city of Brighton and its neighbor Hove, traditional and ancient towns, into prototypes for the new green village. The trust is sponsoring home tours so energy-saving Brighton homeowners can share how they have transformed their older homes.
In the U.S., Smart Metering has been tried in several locations, including Chicago and the state of California. By all accounts, they are a raving success. Duke Energy Indiana plans to install 800,000 Smart Meters starting this year. According to Energy Design, Strategy and News:
"Some 50 million old meters in the United States are likely to be replaced by advanced meters by 2010 at a cost of about $18 billion, according to a recent analysis by Deutsche Bank. Worldwide, only 6% of electricity, 8% of gas, and 4% of water meters are even automated, according to Texas Instruments Inc, which sells a variety of chips for meters. In fact, in the electric industry alone, 500 million meters worldwide could be replaced over the next 10 years, resulting in semiconductor sales of at least $7.5 billion.."
Okay, so let's get on with it.
Continue reading "Smart Meters Help Even Older Homes Save Energy" »
FARM Restaurant has opened in Bloomington, Indiana, bringing to this delightful college town another outpost in the movement to eat local. Daniel Orr, the chef/owner, was born in Columbus, Indiana, but lived and worked all around the world, finally becoming the Executive Chef at La Grenouille, New York City's famed French restaurant where he earned a three-star review from the New York Times. But the best reason to go the Farm is for its food, which will
" focus on the local and fresh ingredients that Orr will incorporate
into his menu items. The fusion of island cuisine and Midwest American
cooking will be the prime focus at FARM." Can't wait to eat there next time we're in Bloomington.
An article in today's New York Times about the boom in local distilleries made me think: what with the boom in organic cocktails we have seen, at least in the Chicago area, this sounds like the perfect way for GreenGeezer back-to-the-landers to make money while growing organic farm products.
"Seth Fox, once rejected by banks, now finds himself sought after by people looking for investment opportunities. His best seller, Most Wanted Vodka, is a hit at local liquor stores. His ultra-premium brand, Fox vodka, is served at some of the finest restaurants in his region."
Other distilleries (not organic -- yet --) mentioned in the article include:
Starlight Distillery in Starlight, Indiana
High Plains Distillery in Atchison, Kansas
North Shore Distillery in Lake Bluff, Illinois
As states see these small, local distilleries as a great source of tax income, they are starting to deregulate the liquor business to allow them to succeed. I say anything that helps small local entrepreneurs to live off the land while growing organic crops is a positive development.
