GreenGeezer

"Neighborhood Effect" Resulting from High Oil Prices

The cost of oil is putting a crimp in globalization, according to the New York Times.  As the cost of fuel rises, products shipped around the world become less profitable and it makes more sense to produce them nearby to consumers.  Locavores will already be ahead of the game, as food is one of the products that will start to be produced locally. 

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

Smart Meters Help Even Older Homes Save Energy

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:

• Installing highly efficient windows
• Insulating under roofs
• Installing solar water heaters
• Using incandescent light bulbs little and replacing most or all bulbs with compact fluorescents
• Giving up using an electric teekettle, a notorious energy hog

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.

Farm Restaurant Opens in Bloomington, Indiana

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.

Happy New Year: Enjoy Some Locally Distilled Spirits to Celebrate

We were glad to hear from Seth Fox, owner and operator of High Plains Distilled Spirits in Kansas, which we included in an earlier post on green business opportunities.   As Seth says,

"I have one of the smallest carbon footprints of any producer of spirits.  I am also installing a biomass boiler to help distill my spirits.  I only have two employees plus my wife so anytime anyone [writes about us it] is an honor......We take great pride in producing our vodka.  Of course it starts from the best grain in the world, right here in the heartland.  If we are going to do it, then we are going to do it right the first time.   That's our philosophy, and this is why we make very small batches and take our time to filter very slow.  Midwesterners work hard and expect an outstanding product without all the frills and expensive packaging. Most Wanted Vodka stands alone for delivering the highest quality and value you can get." 

Green Geezer Business Opportunity: Local Organic Distilleries

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.