Merry Christmas and Happy New Year To All

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year To All from usaalternativeenergynow.blogspot.com.
Have a safe trip. If you are traveling to your destination by ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, we say BRAVO!

We will be traveling by electric vehicle and CNG vehicle. Bravo to us.

We look forward to many more advances in ALTERNATIVE ENERGY in the coming year 2011.

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Plug-In Car Advocates Buy Chevy Volt

Report: Plug-In Car Advocates Buy Chevy Volt

Wednesday, long-time advocates of PHEVs (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles) took ownership of a pair of Chevy Volts - world's first mass-produced plug-in hybrid. The celebration marked the climax of a long and successful campaign for Felix Kramer, CalCars.org founder and the world's first consumer owner of a PHEV, along with Ron Gremban, the other full-time CalCars.org worker.

In the below photo, the Volt is eerily silent while backing up inside the Novato California Chevrolet dealership. This small town dealer was allocated twelve cars and all were pre-sold. General Motors (GM) is only building ten thousand Chevy Volt units this year and they are all sold.




The new Chevy Volt PHEV (GM calls it an extended range electric vehicle or EREV) has been winning awards everywhere. It's the first consumer vehicle whose local miles can be electric, chargeable at 120 Volts, while it can drive across the country anytime. Every aspect of the Volt is computer controlled with the latest in driver comforts and information delivery systems.

General Electric (GE) will buy 25,000 electric vehicles for its fleet through 2015 in the largest-ever purchase of electric cars. They will start with the purchase of 12,000 Chevy Volts in 2011. The conglomerate said it will "add other vehicles as manufacturers expand their electric vehicle profiles."

GE's purchase is a far cry from when Kramer and Gremban modified a first generation Toyota Prius to become a PHEV. Then, everybody who was an expert on cars had a lot of reasons about why PHEVs would not sell to the public.

Felix Kramer's history with PHEVs is worth retelling to put into perspective the event we attended. In 2001, Kramer sold his small Internet company and was looking for something to do.

He said, "I was blown away by the Rocky Mountain Institute's vision of 99 MPG vehicles. I went to Aspen and began discussions about new ways to advance that project."

In 2002, Kramer met many of the Silicon Valley "entrepreneurs, environmentalists, engineers, and EV (electric Vehicle) advocates who've helped us immeasurably ever since."

They formed what is now known as CalCars.org.

Next, Kramer saw his first PHEV at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and realized today's technology could get things started. Then, Professor Andy Frank, the Father of the modern PHEVs, came into the picture. Frank has always been easily approachable and generous with his time and knowledge.

Professor Frank and his students at University of California, Davis had been rebuilding vehicles into PHEVs for nearly thirty years. The problem always was cost. Over $100,000 to rebuild a standard automobile into a one-off electric powered street drivable PHEV test vehicle.



Continued on the next page >>>

© 2009 - 2010 Bright Side Of News*, All rights reserved.



Read more (in new window) at: www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2010/12/24/plug-in-car-advocates-buy-chevy-volt.aspx


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LED Lights For Chritmas Trees

LED Lights For Chritmas Trees
Toledo Zoo Uses Bikes to Power Lights

Toledo Zoo
Height: 85 feet
For 25 years, the Toledo Zoo has hosted the city's biggest holiday party, Lights Before Christmas. Not only is their resident Norway spruce taller than Rockefeller Center's, it's decorated with more lights: some 35,000. To encourage energy conservation, the zoo is using LED lights. They've also rigged two bicycles to the energy grid, allowing visitors to help light the grounds using pedal power. With 120,000 visitors expected, they shouldn't have any problem keeping the lights on.


Read more (in new window) at: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-36906427


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Chevrolet Volt Production Begins, First Volt Going To Charity

Bid on the first Chevy Volt

In order to increase their exposure (and good Karma) automakers often donate special cars to charity. Sometimes they are special editions, other times it is the first-ever of its kind, as is the case with the Chevy Volt.

Production of the Chevy Volt began today, and GM just launched a website, BidontheVolt.com, to sell the second production car. Why the second car? Well GM has this little collection of cars called the GM Heritage Collection, and basically they kept the first of every car there. So in actuality you would be bidding on the second-ever production Volt, the first one for sale to the public.

The current bid is up to a whooping $180,000, and there are still almost two weeks left in the bidding. So what charity will get the money? Well GM will put the money right back into its hometown of Detroit, donating the proceeds of the sale to the Detroit Public School Foundation. The money will specifically be used to support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education initiatives in the Detroit school system.

I guess GM is feeling pretty charitable these days, and with good reason. Say what you will about the auto bailouts, but at least GM is giving back. I haven’t seen too much generosity on the part of the banks, unless you happen to be a favored executive.

Source: GM

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.

Read more at:
http://gas2.org/2010/11/30/chevrolet-volt-production-begins-today-first-volt-going-to-charity/

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Chevrolet investing $40 million in Clean Energy 2011

GM Clean Energy for 2011

While GM has enjoyed a wealth of goodwill lately from the Chevrolet Volt and today’s IPO (which closed at $34.19). Today they announced that they will take $40 million from Chevy’s marketing budget and invest it in clean energy.

The goal of this $40 million investment, which comes right out of Chevrolet’s advertising budget, is to reduce carbon emissions by 8 million metric tons through 2011. That would be the equivalent of taking about 1.9 million cars off the road, or the emissions from over 970,000 U.S. homes.

This investment will cover multiple areas, including;

Providing energy efficient technology such as smart energy sensors and solar panels to schools and other community-based facilities in need of upgrades to decrease carbon dioxide emissions and reduce heating bills.
Supporting wind farms and solar projects that deliver renewable energy to the grid and also help family farms increase their revenues per acre.
Capturing flammable methane from community landfills that delivers clean energy to the grid and improves local air quality and safety.
Contributing to forestry projects throughout America.
They say you can’t buy good publicity, but I’d beg to differ. While $40 million may be a drop in the bucket compared to their last quarter profit of over $2 billion, it isn’t exactly a negligible sum either. Every little bit helps, right?

Source: GM

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.

Read comments on this at:
http://gas2.org/2010/11/18/chevrolet-investing-40-million-to-in-clean-energy-in-2011/

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Unusual Alternative Energy

Unusual Alternative Energy

By Bill Gee
November 20, 2010

Let's say you have a steep hill that is over grown with weeds and brush. You are tired of looking at it. It would take a crew of people with noisey, smelly gas powered weedwackers to cleat it out. Then you wonder if there is another way?

To the rescue is rent a goats. They will clear out the mess in one to three days. You won't hear them while they work. The weeds and brush just magicly
disappear. Why didn't I think of this?

See video:

Link to video:
http://purinaanimalallstars.yahoo.com/?v=8565106

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GREEN WEEK 2010

All around the world it's "Green Week". Many activities in your area. Connect to links below to see how you can participate.








Link to:
http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=223

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/greenweek/

http://www.nbc.com/green/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Green_Week

http://www.ivillage.com/green-week-celebrity-report-cards/1-b-65901

http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/11/12/nbc-green-week-looks-alternative-energy-green-stocks

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Australia - Smart Grid 2011

November 17, 2010 09:57 AM Eastern Time
Research and Markets: Australia - Smart Grid - Moving into 2011
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c9b332/australia_smart) has announced the addition of the "Australia - Smart Grid - Moving into 2011" report to their offering.

“Australia - Smart Grid - Moving into 2011”
The years 2009 and 2010 saw new government policies being implemented policies that will form the basis for future developments. The Smart Grid/Smart City project will have a significant effect but, perhaps even more importantly, the government initiative has clearly been a wake-up call to all electricity companies to become more serious about their smart grid plans. Procrastination is no longer a viable option and all the electricity companies have now embarked on their own industry transformation plans they will all be starting to implement the first elements of their smart grids.

Smart grids are a concept not a technology and there are different ways to carry out the change process. This in itself will be interesting and the industry will learn from the different approaches taken by the various projects.

This report updates on the latest government policies that will shape the industry for the future. It discusses changes needed in the regulatory environment and, above all, analyses developments within the industry as it transforms itself.

Read more at:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101117006156/en/Research-Markets-Australia---Smart-Grid--

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Chevy Volt Coming To Your Town

Chevy Volt Coming To Your Town

The fashionable electric car is here. Charging stations are located all across the United States of America.

Now if they could get the price down to what the average household is willing to spend. It will be a big sucess. If not, it will be another Edsal.



Link to Chevy Volt:
http://www.chevrolet.com/volt/

Link to Wikipeadia Chevy Volt:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevy_Volt


Link to GM-Volt:
http://gm-volt.com/

Link to Chey Product Report:
http://www.chevyproductreport.com/chevrolet/chevy-volt-owners-get-interactive-website/

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USA SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FESTIVAL

USA SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FESTIVAL WAS A HIT WITH YOUNG AND OLD

National Mall Washington DC

October 23-24 2010

1500 exhibits - 125 speakers - Fun learning for young and old

See the SpaceX capsule and rocket engine.

Schools from all over America will be there.

See 3D videos on large screen LED television. Watch out, they pop out at you.

USAALTERNATIVEENERGYNOW would like to thank all the organizers, sponsor companies, scientists, teachers, volunteers, and vistors for making this event a success.

Link to:
http://www.usasciencefestival.org/

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White House Going Solar Again Says Obama

White House Adding Solar Panels

By Dina Cappiello
Updated: 10:28 a.m. on Tuesday, October 5, 2010-Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Solar power is coming to President Obama's house.

The most famous residence in America, which has already boosted its green credentials by planting a garden, plans to install solar panels atop the White House's living quarters. The solar panels are to be installed by spring 2011, and will heat water for the first family and supply some electricity.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the plans Tuesday in Washington at a conference of local, state, academic and nonprofit leaders aimed at identifying how the federal government can improve its environmental performance.

Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush both tapped the sun during their days in the White House. Mr. Carter in the late 1970s spent $30,000 on a solar water-heating system for West Wing offices. Mr. Bush's solar systems powered a maintenance building and some of the mansion, and heated water for the pool.

Mr. Obama, who has championed renewable energy, has been under increasing pressure to lead by example by installing solar at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, something White House officials said has been under consideration since he first took office.

This file photo released by Solar Design Associates shows the solar thermal system produced by the Harvard, Mass., company, installed on the roof of the White House pool cabana in Washington during the George W. Bush administration. The Obama White House on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010, will announce plans to install solar panels for the first time atop the White House's living quarters by spring 2011. (AP Photo/Solar Design Associates)The decision perhaps has more import now after legislation to reduce global warming pollution died in the Senate, despite the White House's support. Obama has vowed to try again on a smaller scale.

Last month, global warming activists with 350.org carried one of Carter's solar panels — which were removed in 1986 — from Unity College in Maine to Washington to urge Mr. Obama to put solar panels on his roof. It was part of a global campaign to persuade world leaders to install solar on their homes. After a meeting with White House officials, they left Washington without a commitment.

Bill McKibben, the founder of the 350.org group, said Tuesday the administration did the right thing.

"If it has anything like the effect of the White House garden, it could be a trigger for a wave of solar installations across the country and around the world," Mr. McKibben said in a statement.

The solar industry has also called on the White House to become a national billboard for solar power.

Continued at:http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/oct/5/white-house-go-solar/


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Pedal for Food Voucher at Hotel in Copenhagen

Pedal for Food Voucher at Hotel in Copenhagen
Video:

Link to video of a hotel in Copenhagen lets you exercise and generate electric
http://news.yahoo.com/video/environment-15749659/21839298#video=22131560

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Kent Hills Wind Farm Turbine On Fire

Wind turbine on fire at Kent Hills Wind Farm in Canada Video





Click on the images to select other wind turbine videos.

List of Large Wind Farms in Canada:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wind_farms_in_Canada

List of Large Wind Farms In USA:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wind_farms_in_the_United_States

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New Links To Interesting Websites Added

USA ALTERNATIVE ENERGY NOW BLOGSPOT has just added new links to interesting websites.
If you know of websites we should add links to, let us know.

One of the new links is to the EPA Alternative Fuel Stations Locator Page:





http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations/

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Planet Solar Boat

The PlanetSolar team presented their extraordinary challenge: Around the World in 80 Days Powered by Renewable Energies. During a press conference held on Thursday, March 16, 2006, at 10:30 am, at The School of Business and Engineering Vaud, Switzerland, in its assembly hall.



ROUTE



Initially, the team Around the World with Stopovers, Powered by Solar Energy, in 120 Days

The first objective is to successfully complete an around the world route with stopovers along the equator, where the maximum amount of sunlight is available. The over 40'000 km voyage should take place within 120 days and will be sailed at an average speed of 10 knots. Both navigators aboard the PlanetSolar will cross through the western part of the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and finally the Suez Canal, crossing the finish line at the start off point in the Mediterranean Sea.
Read more at:
http://www.solarnavigator.net/planet_solar.htm

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BP Caps Oil Well Leak

BP finally was able to stop the oil well leak.

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Cap on gushing well removed, oil flows freely

BP hopes to install new dome to contain Gulf leak within a few days

by TOM BREEN (AP)

NEW ORLEANS — Robotic submarines working a mile underwater removed a leaking cap from the gushing Gulf oil well Saturday, starting a painful trade-off: Millions more gallons of crude will flow freely into the sea for at least two days until a new seal can be mounted to capture all of it.

There's no guarantee for such a delicate operation almost a mile below the water's surface, officials said, and the permanent fix of plugging the well from the bottom remains slated for mid-August.

"It's not just going to be, you put the cap on, it's done. It's not like putting a cap on a tube of toothpaste," Coast Guard spokesman Capt. James McPherson said.

Robotic submarines removed the cap that had been placed on top of the leak in early June to collect the oil and send it to surface ships for collection or burning. BP aims to have the new, tighter cap in place as early as Monday and said that, as of Saturday night, the work was going according to plan.

If tests show it can withstand the pressure of the oil and is working, the Gulf region could get its most significant piece of good news since the April 20 explosion on the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon rig, which killed 11 workers.

"Over the next four to seven days, depending on how things go, we should get that sealing cap on. That's our plan," said Kent Wells, a BP senior vice president, of the round-the-clock operation.

It would be only a temporary solution to the catastrophe that the federal government estimates has poured between 87 million and 172 million gallons of oil into the Gulf as of Saturday. Hope for permanently plugging the leak lies with two relief wells, the first of which should be finished by mid-August.
For more go to:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38178675/ns/disaster_in_the_gulf

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Obama to visit groundbreaking of Michigan battery plant

Obama to visit groundbreaking of Michigan battery plant
Groundbreaking is Thursday for factory to supply electric cars
David Shepardson / The Detroit News
Washington -- President Barack Obama will make his fourth visit to Michigan since taking office, to take part Thursday in the groundbreaking of a $303 million battery plant.

The White House said Obama will attend the event for an LG Chem factory in Holland.

Obama has backed battery and electric vehicle production and has called for 1 million plug-in vehicles on the roads by 2015.

Advertisement

Work on the site began early last month on the 650,000-square-foot plant, said Hank Riberas of Roncelli Co., the construction firm overseeing the project.

In March, the South Korean company and its Troy-based unit, Compact Power Inc., confirmed they would build the factory to make battery cells for electric vehicles, including General Motors Co.'s extended-range Chevrolet Volt.

The plant will be able to produce enough cells for up to 200,000 electric vehicle batteries and will create an estimated 300 jobs by 2013 -- in addition to hundreds of construction jobs to build the plant.

Half of the funding came from a $151.4 million federal grant from a $2.4 billion program announced in August to boost battery and electric vehicle research and production. Those funds do not have to be paid back.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who has been promoting the state as a center for battery, electric vehicle and other green manufacturing jobs, will attend, as will many other of the state's elected leaders and auto executives.

Last month, Granholm announced state approval of a 15-year-old refundable tax credit for the project.

"Michigan is becoming a world capital for advanced batteries," Granholm said.

While in Nevada on Friday, Obama said his administration is committed to spending money for green jobs.

"We're going to go from 2 percent of advanced battery market share to 40 percent just in the next five years," he said. "That will create thousands of jobs across the country."

The state designation of the 120-acre site as a Renaissance Zone allows a company in the zone to operate free of virtually all state and local taxes.

The first generation of the Volt will go on sale in November using battery cells imported from South Korea.

dshepardson@detnews.com


From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100710/AUTO01/7100331/1148/Obama-to-visit-groundbreaking-of-Michigan-battery-plant#ixzz0tJ2L1dN1


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How To Stop The BP Oil Well Leak In Three Months

Top of Blog:
http://www.usaalternativeenergynow.blogspot.com/

Day 71 of the oil spill

DAY 71 OF OIL WELL LEAK!

I think, it's day 71 of: "The Three Stooges try to stop the oil leak and clean up the mess." If that doesn't work, we'll send in Laurel and Hardy! They always made a bigger mess out of things. Stan Laurel scratching his head says, "What do we do now, Ollie? "This is another fine mess you got us in!", Ollie replies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSQNi2hdTZg&feature=player_embeddedIt's not funny, it's just a comparison to the inept actions and at a koala pace.

The Three Stooges "Oil's Well That Ends Well"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqAl09h7wzo&feature=player_embedded

NOW THE HURRICANE ALEX IS MAKING IT WORSE!
(I know BP dosen't want to waste a drop of oil after all the money they put into drilling it. But, it's not working.) Hey, if Red Adair was still around, he would have blown it up on day 2.

WHY DON"T THEY SEND IN THE NAVY SEALS TO BLOW THE DAMNED WELL UP!!
End of oil well leak!
GO NAVY SEALS!

Top of blog: http://www.usaalternativeenergynow.blogspot.com/

BP caps oil leak, IT'S STILL LEAKING!

BP caps oil well, IT'S STILL LEAKING!

We at UAEN are sad at the mess that BP has created and we regret to report the oil well is still leaking thousands of gallons of oil into the gulf of mexico.
Gobs of oil are washing onto the shores of florida and nearby states.

Oil Well Web Cam Link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=37412412&#37412412


Top of blog: http://www.usaalternativeenergynow.blogspot.com

Volunteers Needed for Oil Spill Clean Up

Volunteers Needed for Oil Spill Clean Up

Blog host comment:
"When will we ever learn, when will weeee eeeeeveeeer learn?" You know the song? Dead oil covered creatures, shows our lack of intelligence.

Oil for lubrication, not for propulsion or heating,etc.

This is the 21st century, smart energy, wind power, solar power, electric vehicles, hi-tech batteries, etc.

From MSNBC:
Gulf of Mexico oil spill: How to help
Posted: Saturday, May 01, 2010 4:12 PM
Posted by Ian Sager, msnbc.com
As rough seas slow the cleanup in the Gulf of Mexico, individuals and conservation organizations are readying themselves for the fight to protect the land and wildlife that sits in the path of the sheen. Here’s how you can help.
May 2
Msnbc.com reader Corla Coles points out the efforts of Matter of Trust, a non-profit organization that invites salons, pet groomers and the abundantly coiffed to send leftover hair trimmings for use in highly absorbent hair mats and booms. According to their website, "Hair is very efficient at collecting oil out of the air, off surfaces like your skin and out of the water, even petroleum oil."
The group boasts twelve locations across region that are ready to receive human and pet hair, and hundreds of volunteers participating in "Boom B Q" parties stuffing the donated locks into recycled nylons to form booms that can be strung along beaches and marshes.
Related link: Organization combing country for spare hair to fight oil slick
May 1
To report injured or oiled wildlife, call 1-866-557-1401. To report spill-related damage, call 1-800,440-0858, and to inquire about volunteering, or to report oil on the shore, call 1-866-448-5816.
The Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board is connecting BP with fisherman looking to aid in the cleanup effort. If interested, call 281-366-5511 or e-mail, HorizonSupport@OEGLLC.com.
The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is looking for volunteers to “fill a variety of needs.” Pre-veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and anyone with HAZWOPER training (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard) are “strongly encouraged” to register.
The National Audubon Society is recruiting volunteers in the fight to save “ecologically sensitive areas.” Visit their website to fill out a volunteer registration form.
OilSpillVolunteers.com also provides the opportunity sign up and assist with the cleanup.
While their website says volunteers are not yet needed, Mobile Baykeeper is urging anyone who is interested to call their office at 251-433-4229 or e-mail http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/controlpanel/blogs/info@mobilebaykeeper.org.
Have we missed any opportunities that you've noticed? Leave a comment.
http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/05/01/2291388.aspx?CommentPosted=true#commentmessage


From tonic.com:

As Tonic readers know, millions of gallons of oil are flowing from the leak caused by BP's rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico to the coasts of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Wildlife and conservation groups warn that the ever-widening slick could pose complete disaster for the shoreline flora and fauna, and volunteers are urgently needed to help when the time arrives, which could be in the hours or days to come. Even before the oil reaches a beach, you can get involved: environmental groups suggest removing driftwood, dry grass, seaweed and debris from areas expected to be effected before it becomes soaked in oil. If you see any wildlife covered in oil, don't capture it but call 866-557-1401. To report areas with oil ashore, call 866-448-5816.
We've compiled a list of groups who need you to sign up now. And if you help, please let us know. We'd love to hear your stories and see your pictures.
The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, the National Wildlife Federation, the National Audubon Society, and the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program are registering volunteers to assist with a variety of needs — from oiled wildlife recovery to monitoring and photographing oil movement to providing a boat and driver for response activities. No specific training or experience is necessary, although you must be at least 18 years old to volunteer. Some tasks, such as food preparation, may require no training. Other tasks, such as washing oiled birds, may require specific certifications or skills. They encourage pre-veterinary students, veterinary technicians and those with HAZWOPER training to volunteer. Anyone with experience in dealing with wildlife handling, rehabilitation, or hazardous materials clean up is also strongly encouraged to register. Click here to sign up.
The National Audubon Society is seeking volunteers wishing to clean up birds. Click here to register.
The Sierra Club is mobilizing volunteers, and will connect you with opportunities to help. Please click here to sign up and for more information.
Save Our Seabirds is a Sarasota, Florida-based bird rescue group that is looking for volunteers and support as its response team prepares to help oiled wildlife. Please click here to fill out their online form or call 941-388-3010.
The site http://www.oilspillvolunteers.com/ had almost 3,000 people register in its first 24 hours of operation. Volunteers who sign up online will be contacted by organizations to assist in the clean-up of barrier islands or beaches, or to help with wildlife clean-up. Volunteers with specific skills or boats will be categorized as well to streamline matching them with volunteer needs as they are identified.
Global Green USA, a nonprofit focused on the creation of green buildings and cities, is signing up volunteers to help clean up the spill. Click here to sign up.
The Gulf Restoration Network, a New Orleans-based nonprofit committed to keeping the Gulf of Mexico clean, seeks volunteers to help with clean-up efforts. Please click here to sign up.
The Alabama Coastal Foundation, which works to improve and protect the quality of Alabama's coastal resources, is collecting contact information from volunteers for cleanup efforts along the Alabama coast if the spill reaches its shores. To register, and for the latest information on the spill, go to http://www.joinacf.org/oil_info.htmll or call the Mobile-based nonprofit at 251-990-6002.
The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program is looking for volunteers to help reduce the potential impact of the oil spill in Mobile Bay. To register, go to their website or call 251-431-6409.
The Mobile Baykeeper is another Alabama group seeking volunteers in case the oil pushes into the state's shores. If you are interested in volunteering to reduce the impacts of the oil spill to the Bay, please call their office at 251-433-4229 or e-mail info@mobilebaykeeper.org with your name, address, phone number, e-mail and available resources.
The Pascagoula River Audubon Center, part of Audobon Mississippi, is organizing training on cleaning wildlife affected by the oil spill. Volunteers may register their contact information here.
The city of Biloxi, Mississippi is signing up volunteers at www.biloxi.ms.us/Volunteer.asp in case the oil reaches its shores.
For more information on volunteer opportunities as they arise, get on Twitter and search #oilspill. On Facebook, keep checking the Louisiana Shore Cleanup group.

http://www.tonic.com/article/how-you-can-volunteer-to-clean-up-the-gulf-coast-oil-spill/

Links:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/30/deepwater-horizon-oil-spi_n_558736.html

http://www.pnj.com/article/20100502/NEWS01/100502010/1052

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2960914/volunteers_for_oil_spill_cleanup_frustrated.html?cat=3

http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2010/05/volunteers_urged_to_get_traini.html

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/30/impact.oil.spill/index.html · Cached page

http://www.pollution-control.suite101.com/article.cfm/training_for_oil_spill_volunteers · Cached page

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0501/C-mon-how-big-is-the-Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-really · Cached page

http://www.oilspillvolunteers.com/ · Cached page

http://news.discovery.com/animals/oil-spill-wildlife-clean-up-process.html


Top of blog http://www.usaalternativeenergynow.blogspot.com/

Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico 01 May 2010

SPOT5 / Imagery processed at CST
This satellite image shows vessels at the source of the leaking oil, at the same location where just a week before the platform Deepwater Horizon sank after burning for two days.

Gulf spill balloons, could move east
Rough seas hamper cleanup; Obama to visit Sunday

By ALLEN G. BREED, SETH BORENSTEIN
updated 7:02 p.m. ET, Sat., May 1, 2010
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VENICE, La. - Gloom settled over the American coastline from Louisiana to Florida on Saturday as a massive oil slick spewing from a ruptured underwater well kept growing, and experts warned that an uncontrolled gusher could create a nightmare scenario if the Gulf Stream carries it toward the Atlantic.
President Barack Obama planned to visit the region Sunday to assess the situation amid criticism that the government and oil company BP PLC should have done more to stave off the disaster. Meanwhile, efforts to stem the flow and remove oil from the surface by skimming it, burning it or spiking it with chemicals to disperse it continued with little success.
"These people, we've been beaten down, disaster after disaster," said Matt O'Brien of Venice, whose fledgling wholesale shrimp dock business is under threat from the spill.

"They've all got a long stare in their eye," he said. "They come asking me what I think's going to happen. I ain't got no answers for them. I ain't got no answers for my investors. I ain't got no answers."
He wasn't alone. As the spill surged toward disastrous proportions, critical questions lingered: Who created the conditions that caused the gusher? Did BP and the government react robustly enough in its early days? And, most important, how can it be stopped before the damage gets worse?
Size of spill unknownThe Coast Guard conceded Saturday that it's nearly impossible to know how much oil has gushed since the April 20 rig explosion, after saying earlier it was at least 1.6 million gallons — equivalent to about 2½ Olympic-sized swimming pools. The blast killed 11 workers and threatened beaches, fragile marshes and marine mammals, along with fishing grounds that are among the world's most productive.
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Bad weather stalls oil spill cleanupMay 1: Lester Holt and Anne Thompson report from Venice, Louisiana.
Today showEven at that rate, the spill should eclipse the 1989 Exxon Valdez incident as the worst U.S. oil disaster in history within about a week. But a growing number of experts warned that the situation may already be much worse.

The oil slick over the water's surface appeared to triple in size over the past two days, which could indicate an increase in the rate that oil is spewing from the well, according to one analysis of images collected from satellites and reviewed by the University of Miami. While it's hard to judge the volume of oil by satellite because of depth, it does show an indication of change in growth, experts said.
"The spill and the spreading is getting so much faster and expanding much quicker than they estimated," said Hans Graber, executive director of the university's Center for Southeastern Tropical Advanced Remote Sensing. "Clearly, in the last couple of days, there was a big change in the size."
Florida State University oceanography professor Ian R. MacDonald said his examination of Coast Guard charts and satellite images indicated that 8 million to 9 million gallons had already spilled by April 28.
Doug Suttles, BP's chief operating officer for exploration and production, said it was impossible to know just how much oil was gushing from the well, but said the company and federal officials were preparing for the worst-case scenario.
Click for related content
Spill draws flock of lawyers to GulfLeak is the bad one experts fearedField Notes: Couldn't be worse timing for wildlifeNewsweek: Will the oil spill kill offshore drilling?Gulf spill: Worse than Exxon Valdez?Interactive: Track the oil sheenTop 10 worst oil spills
Environmental disaster possibleOil industry experts and officials are reluctant to describe what, exactly, a worst-case scenario would look like — but if the oil gets into the Gulf Stream and carries it to the beaches of Florida, it stands to be an environmental and economic disaster of epic proportions.
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What's at stake for the environment?May 1: NBC's Mark Potter reports on the impact of the oil spill.
Today show
The Deepwater Horizon well is at the end of one branch of the Gulf Stream, the famed warm-water current that flows from the Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic. Several experts said that if the oil enters the stream, it would flow around the southern tip of Florida and up the eastern seaboard.
"It will be on the East Coast of Florida in almost no time," Graber said. "I don't think we can prevent that. It's more of a question of when rather than if."
At the joint command center run by the government and BP near New Orleans, a Coast Guard spokesman maintained Saturday that the leakage remained around 5,000 barrels, or 200,000 gallons, per day.
But Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, appointed Saturday by Obama to lead the government's oil spill response, said no one could pinpoint how much oil is leaking from the ruptured well because of its depth — about a mile underwater.
"Any exact estimation of what's flowing out of those pipes down there is impossible," he told reporters on a conference call.
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Bad weather stalls oil spill cleanup
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Bad weather stalls oil spill cleanupMay 1: Lester Holt and Anne Thompson report from Venice, Louisiana.
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Expert: Attack oil spill at the sourceMay 1: Cleaning up oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico is important, but the deep-sea well will keep spewing oil until it is capped, U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen said Saturday.
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Click for related content
Spill draws flock of lawyers to GulfLeak is the bad one experts fearedField Notes: Couldn't be worse timing for wildlifeNewsweek: Will the oil spill kill offshore drilling?Gulf spill: Worse than Exxon Valdez?Interactive: Track the oil sheenTop 10 worst oil spills
Environmental disaster possibleOil industry experts and officials are reluctant to describe what, exactly, a worst-case scenario would look like — but if the oil gets into the Gulf Stream and carries it to the beaches of Florida, it stands to be an environmental and economic disaster of epic proportions.

The Deepwater Horizon well is at the end of one branch of the Gulf Stream, the famed warm-water current that flows from the Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic. Several experts said that if the oil enters the stream, it would flow around the southern tip of Florida and up the eastern seaboard.
"It will be on the East Coast of Florida in almost no time," Graber said. "I don't think we can prevent that. It's more of a question of when rather than if."
At the joint command center run by the government and BP near New Orleans, a Coast Guard spokesman maintained Saturday that the leakage remained around 5,000 barrels, or 200,000 gallons, per day.

But Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, appointed Saturday by Obama to lead the government's oil spill response, said no one could pinpoint how much oil is leaking from the ruptured well because of its depth — about a mile underwater.
"Any exact estimation of what's flowing out of those pipes down there is impossible," he told reporters on a conference call.

Bad weather stalls oil spill cleanup

May 1: Eleven days after an oil rig exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico, rough seas continue to hamper efforts to cleanup as much as 1 million gallons of oil that is threatening wildlife and commercial fishing. Lester Holt and Anne Thompson report from Venice, Louisiana.

Read more at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36870222/ns/us_news-environment/?GT1=43001

Top of blog: http://www.usaalternativeenergynow.blogspot.com/

James Cameron Talks to treehugger.com

James Cameron - Director of Film "AVATAR"

Photo by Nancy Wilson

James Cameron Talks To treehugger.com About Earth Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1952YYOuIA&feature=player_embedded

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Earth Day Climate Change Rally on the National Mall

Article and Photos by -

David DeFranza

Earth Day - Climate Change Rally on the National Mall

Sunday 25 April 2010

With news that the climate bill had fizzled in the Senate spreading and thunderclouds looming over Washington, DC, things looked bleak for the Earth Day Network's Climate Rally on the National Mall early Sunday morning. Still, event staff hurried to complete preparations to ensure the stage, tents, exhibits, and lawn would be ready for the crowds—however large or small they ended up being.
In spite of the bad news from the Hill—and menacing weather—Nate Byer, Earth Day 2010 campaign director, remained excited, rushing in and out of tents, talking into his radio, and trying his best to heed his staff's warnings to "stay clean." The success of the event, it seemed in these early hours, may indeed ride upon his enthusiasm.

And in Byer's mind, the Climate Rally was not simply a field day. There would be music, sure; dancing, of course; but the reason his team had spent months of hard work putting the event together was to show that climate change and energy policy are issues that transcend environmentalism. He told TreeHugger that it's an issue that concerns "national security...the youth community, the social justice community...it's a movement that affects all of us and that we all care about."
How much people care, however, is a hard thing to pinpoint. The United States, weary environmentalists often point out, just suffered a recession of historic proportions. It is, perhaps, a good excuse for a person to forget about LED lightbulbs or postpone buying a hybrid—but there are several other, more unsettling, sources of fatigue when it comes to issues of the planet and climate.
The president's inability to derive meaningful legislation on climate and energy policy, the stark failure of COP15, the erosion of support for legitimate climate science, and the persistent denial movement are bitter challenges much harder to accept than increasing concern over personal finances.

Even as the first speakers took the stage—followed by the first musicians—it seemed that, perhaps, the movement had not weathered the strain. In those early hours, only a few people had found their place on the large lawn—the empty corrals stretching into the distance as an invitation to the ridicule of skeptics.
Then, as Bob Weir took the stage, the sun broke through the clouds. A more palpable turning could not have been imagined—nor scripted by the now-frenzied staff. As the air warmed, the crowd swelled, overflowing from the area in front of the stage, filling in the lawn behind, and expanding to the grassy strips on either side.

Sure, the draw for many was the music—a line-up that included the Roots, John Legend, Bob Weir, Sting, and many others—but once there they became part of something more.
Speaker after speaker took the stage, offering comments on the destructiveness of coal mining, the floundering climate bill, simple things we can all do at home, and the dire necessity of immediate action. If the music was the candy, Avatar star CCH Pounder told TreeHugger, than the speakers "were the medicine."

Talking with people in the crowd, it quickly became clear that this medicine was not something they resigned themselves to on Earth Day. Perhaps they had been infected by Byer's enthusiasm, or the camaraderie of the crowd, but the "medicine," it seemed, had become part of their lives, more a vitamin than a cough syrup, and coming together on Earth Day was a means of solidifying their beliefs, renewing their determination, and finding companionship with people who may not speak loudly about the importance of environmentalism during the rest of the year, but offer their silent support nevertheless.
Earth Day, these everyday environmentalists told me, is not simply about recycling; it's about showing you care, finding community, and speaking out loud—it's the assertion that the values of environmentalism are important and those that hold them are not alone.
And it is in this way, above all others, that Earth Day should be celebrated every day.
More Earth Day Coverage from TreeHugger
Earth Day 2010 on Planet Green
Read more about the Climate Rally on the National Mall:From Patrick Stump to Robert Kennedy, Jr.: Musicians, Activists, and Celebrities Muse on the Meaning of Earth Day (Video)Thinking About Earth Day: Past, Present, and Future (Video)Margaret Atwood Offers Three Actions That Have a Big Impact (Video)James Cameron on Why Earth Day Matters and What We Can Learn From the Amazon (Video)Follow @TreeHugger on Twitter & get our headlines with @TH_rss!
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Link to:http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/04/does-earth-day-matter-the-climate-rally-on-the-national-mall-offers-an-answer.php

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Gulf of Mexico Oil Rig Explodes - Large Oil Spill Foreseen

Burning oil rig sinks, setting stage for big spillBy KEVIN McGILL and HOLBROOK MOHR , 04.22.10, 08:06 PM EDT
AP

NEW ORLEANS -- A deepwater oil platform that burned for more than a day after a massive explosion sank into the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, creating the potential for a major spill as it underscored the slim chances that the 11 workers still missing survived.
The sinking of the Deepwater Horizon, which burned violently until the gulf itself extinguished the fire, could unleash more than 300,000 of gallons of crude a day into the water. The environmental hazards would be greatest if the spill were to reach the Louisiana coast, some 50 miles away.
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Crews searched by air and water for the missing workers, hoping they had managed to reach a lifeboat, but one relative said family members have been told it's unlikely any of the missing survived Tuesday night's blast. The Coast Guard found two lifeboats but no one was inside. More than 100 workers escaped the explosion and fire; four were critically injured.
Carolyn Kemp of Monterey, La., said her grandson, Roy Wyatt Kemp, 27, was among the missing. She said he would have been on the drilling platform when it exploded.
"They're assuming all those men who were on the platform are dead," Kemp said. "That's the last we've heard."
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Jed Kersey, of Leesville, La., said his 33-year-old son, John, had finished his shift on the rig floor and was sleeping when the explosion occurred. He said his son told him that all 11 missing workers were on the rig floor at the time of the explosion.
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"He said it was like a war zone," said Jed Kersey, a former offshore oil worker.
An alarm sounded and the electricity went out, sending John Kersey and other workers scurrying to a lifeboat that took them to a nearby service boat, his father said.
"They waited for as many people as they could," Jed Kersey said. He added that his son wasn't ready to talk publicly about his experience.
As the rig burned, supply vessels shot water into it to try to keep it afloat and avoid an oil spill, but there were additional explosions Thursday. Officials had previously said the environmental damage appeared minimal, but new challenges have arisen now that the platform has sunk.
The well could be spilling up to 336,000 gallons of crude oil a day, Coast Guard Petty Officer Katherine McNamara said. She said she didn't know whether the crude oil was spilling into the gulf. The rig also carried 700,000 gallons of diesel fuel, but that would likely evaporate if the fire didn't consume it.
Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry said crews saw a 1-mile-by-5-mile rainbow sheen with a dark center of what appeared to be a crude oil mix on the surface of the water. She said there wasn't any evidence crude oil was coming out after the rig sank, but officials also aren't sure what's going on underwater. They have dispatched a vessel to check.
The oil will do much less damage at sea than it would if it hits the shore, said Cynthia Sarthou, executive director of the Gulf Restoration Network.
"If it gets landward, it could be a disaster in the making," Sarthou said.
Doug Helton, incident operations coordinator for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's office of response and restoration, said the spill is not expected to come onshore in the next three to four days. "But if the winds were to change, it could come ashore more rapidly," he said.
At the worst-case figure of 336,000 gallons a day, it would take more than a month for the amount of crude oil spilled to equal the 11 million gallons spilled from the Exxon Valdez in Alaska's Prince William Sound.
The well will need to be capped off underwater. Coast Guard Petty Officer Ashley Butler said crews were prepared for the platform to sink and had the equipment at the site to limit the environmental damage.
Oil giant BP ( BP - news - people ), which contracted the rig, said it has mobilized four aircraft that can spread chemicals to break up the oil and 32 vessels, including a big storage barge, that can suck more than 171,000 barrels of oil a day from the surface.
Crews searching for the missing workers, meanwhile, have covered the 1,940-square-mile search area by air 12 times and by boat five times. The boats searched all night.
The family of Dewey Revette, a 48-year-old from southeast Mississippi, said he was also among the missing. He worked as a driller on the rig and had been with the company for 29 years.
"We're all just sitting around waiting for the phone to ring and hoping for good news. And praying about it," said Revette's 23-year-old daughter, Andrea Cochran.
Adrian Rose, vice president of rig owner Transocean ( RIG - news - people ) Ltd., said Thursday some surviving workers said in company interviews that their missing colleagues may not have been able to evacuate in time. He said he was unable to confirm whether that was the case.
Those who escaped did so mainly by getting on lifeboats that were lowered into the gulf, Rose said. Weekly emergency drills seemed to help, he said, adding that workers apparently stuck together as they fled the devastating blast.
"There are a number of uncorroborated stories, a lot of them really quite heroic stories of how people looked after each other. There was very little panic," Rose said.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Kevin Fernandez was the flight mechanic on a helicopter that was the first to respond, about 15 minutes after the explosion. Fernandez said he could see the fire from 80 miles away, with flames rising about 500 feet.
"I was kind of expecting worse" in terms of fatalities, he said. But all the survivors already had made their way from the lifeboats into a supply boat. Fernandez and his crew plucked two critically injured survivors to a nearby rig that had a paramedic on board.
Family members of two missing workers filed separate lawsuits Thursday accusing Transocean and BP of negligence. Both companies declined to comment about legal action against them after the first suit was filed.
The U.S. Minerals Management Service, which regulates oil rigs, conducted three routine inspections of the Deepwater Horizon this year - in February, March and on April 1 - and found no violations, MMS spokeswoman Eileen Angelico said.
The rig was doing exploratory drilling about 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana when the explosion and fire occurred, sending a column of boiling black smoke hundreds of feet over the gulf.
Rose has said the explosion appeared to be a blowout, in which natural gas or oil forces its way up a well pipe and smashes the equipment. Precisely what went wrong is under investigation.
Transocean Ltd. spokesman Guy Cantwell said 111 workers who made it off the Deepwater Horizon safely after the blast were ashore Thursday, and four others were still on a boat that operates an underwater robot. A robot will eventually be used to stop the flow of oil to the rig. He said officials have not decided when that will happen.
Seventeen workers brought to shore Wednesday suffered burns, broken legs and smoke inhalation. Four were critically injured.
Rose said the crew had drilled the well to its final depth, more than 18,000 feet, and was cementing the steel casing at the time of the explosion. They had little time to evacuate, he said.
The explosion is not expected to have a major impact on the oil industry. There are 90 rigs in the offshore Gulf of Mexico either drilling wells or performing work on existing wells, according to the MMS.
"It's a personal tragedy," Arthur Weglein, director of the Mission Oriented Seismic Research program at the University of Houston. "Besides that, it's just one rig less in the deep water."
The explosion came less than a month after President Barack Obama's decision to open portions of the East Coast to oil and gas exploration, and opponents of the move have seized on the blast as a reason to reverse course.
"The bottom line is that when you drill for oil, there is always a risk that not only puts lives on the line, but a risk that puts miles of coastline and the economy on the line as well," Sens. Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg, both New Jersey Democrats, said in a statement.
Working on offshore oil rigs is a dangerous job but has become safer in recent years thanks to improved training, safety systems and maintenance, said Joe Hurt, regional vice president for the International Association of Drilling Contractors.
Since 2001, there have been 69 offshore deaths, 1,349 injuries and 858 fires and explosions in the gulf, according to the Minerals Management Service. Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer Mike O'Berry said accidents are rare given that 30,000 people work on rigs there every day.
"They're highly trained. They know the dangers," O'Berry said. "The safety precautions they take are extreme. A testament to that is of the 126, 115 are home today with their families."
Associated Press Writer Holbrook Mohr reported from Jackson, Miss. Associated Press Writers Mike Kunzelman, Cain Burdeau, Janet McConnaughey and Alan Sayre in Louisiana, Chris Kahn in New York and Sofia Mannos of AP Television News contributed to this report.

Link to read more: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/04/22/general-energy-us-louisiana-oil-rig-explosion_7541505.html?boxes=Homepagebusinessnews

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The Earth Day CLIMATE RALLY – National Mall – Sunday, April 25, 2010

The Earth Day CLIMATE RALLY – National Mall – Sunday, April 25, 2010
The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is quickly approaching, but the United States has failed to enact a comprehensive climate bill.
It is time to stop protecting polluters and enact comprehensive climate legislation that will create American jobs, cap carbon emissions and secure our nation’s future. The first Earth Day was a success because 20 million Americans demonstrated their outrage for the state of the environment. Together, we can make Earth Day 2010 a pivotal moment in the environmental movement.
On Sunday, April 25, Earth Day Network will organize a massive climate rally on The National Mall to demand Congress pass strong legislation. The Climate Rally will include notable speakers Reverend Jesse Jackson, film director, James Cameron, AFL-CIO President, Richard Trumka, Olympic gold medalist, Billy Demong, producer, Trudie Styler, author, Margaret Atwood, NFL player and television personality, Dhani Jones, environmental photographer Sebastian Copeland and many more.
The Climate Rally will also feature live music from Sting, John Legend, The Roots, Jimmy Cliff, Passion Pit, Bob Weir, Willie Colón, Joss Stone, Robert Randolph, Patrick Stump, Mavis Staples, Booker T, Honor Society and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger.
Please RSVP on this page - we will send a friendly reminder and notify you when we stream the live event on EarthDay.org.
Free buses to the Climate Rally
Earth Day Network is sponsoring free buses from New York City, Philadephia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Charleston WV, Richmond, Charlottesville, and Baltimore. RSVP today.
Buses to DC will park at RFK Stadium. There will be easy access to the Climate Rally by Metro Rail.
Driving to DC?
Vans, buses, and cars are encouraged to park at the RFK Stadium parking lot. There will be a shuttle service to the rally along with vendors and access to water. Please sign up to register your bus, van, or car ahead of time to park at RFK!
Take Metro to the Climate Rally
The Smithsonian stop on the blue/orange line is the preferred station.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Climate Rally needs volunteers, please email mailto:volunteer@earthday.net to sign up.

Top of blog: http://www.usaalternativeenergynow.blogspot.com/

EARTH DAY APRIL 22, 2010

Forty years after the first Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future.
Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs. Earth Day Network is galvanizing millions who make personal commitments to sustainability. Earth Day 2010 is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy. Join the more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for Earth Day.

http://www.earthday.org/

Top of blog:http://www.usaalternativeenergynow.blogspot.com/

Yike Bike _Smallest Electric Bike

How one entrepreneur wants to electrify your urban commute.As urban bike ridership continues to grow all over the world, cyclers are being inundated with two-wheeled options. Now, thanks to New Zealand entrepreneur Grant Ryan, urbanites have another rather different way of achieving efficient mobility: the YikeBike.In addition to its slick aesthetic, the YikeBike is the smallest electric bike in the world, weighing half of what any other folding electric bike on the market does. Grant notes the bike’s foldable design as a key to its utility, giving city dwellers the ability to cruise quickly between home and public transport, seamlessly switching from walking to biking to riding. The bike was built to be quickly shouldered and carried in a bag, a design feature that makes it an ideal travel companion “anywhere in a city, train, bus, car, or elevator.”At $4,800, the bike isn’t cheap, but Ryan explains that the “total cost of a YikeBike is about the same as the cost of running a car for a year. The average cost of running your YikeBike on electricity for a month is less than a Big Mac meal.” He also points out how you’ll save the time and money you spend on parking if you ditch your car. Plus, you won’t have to worry about theft because the YikeBike’s compact frame lets you take your wheels with you wherever you go.The bike has a top-speed of 15 mph, a weight of around 20 pounds, and its fast-charging lithium phosphate battery promises a fluid commute. The bike is currently launching in Europe and New Zealand but Ryan says the bike would work well in dense cities like New York and San Francisco.As a personal transportation device, the bike is a tool that complements and increases the velocity and range of your daily commute. For the millions of people who live in crowded urban areas and ride public transit to and from work, their ticket to “urban freedom” can now come with a sleek set of electric wheels.Image courtesy of YikeBike.

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BP Solar lays off 320 workers

Frederick Post

Even as the use of solar energy to power homes, offices and other buildings increases, the cost of making panels and other equipment is still high in the U.S.
It was that cost that led to the shutdown of manufacturing at BP Solar in Frederick on Friday and the layoffs of 320 employees.
The site, opened in 1981, had once employed more than 500, turning silicon into wafers and then assembling them into solar panels.
The global market has taken its toll, said Reyad Fezzani, BP Solar CEO. The company is moving production to other countries.
"There is a demand for the product all over the world," Fezzani said Friday in a telephone interview from the company's headquarters in California. "We will do that at lower-cost locations, through a range of third-party manufacturers. We have a joint partnership with some in India and China."
The CEO said the decision to end production at the Frederick site, known for a roof filled with solar panels that is visible from I-70, was "very difficult for us. We deeply regret what the decision will have on Frederick employees."
The plant's manufacturing equipment will be sold or decommissioned, Fezzani said.
About 110 employees will remain at the building on Solarex Court, working in sales, marketing, business support, and research and development.
State and federal leaders tried to help BP Solar, but it wasn't enough to overcome market conditions.
Maryland's congressional delegation worked to secure about $11 million in federal stimulus tax credits for BP Solar last year.
But even that was not enough, since the plan was for BP to invest about $22 million as part of the stimulus deal, said Delegate Sue Hecht, a Frederick Democrat who had advocated for the deal.
"What they said last night was when they relooked (at) it, the market had changed so drastically that they just couldn't make it work," Hecht said.
The company will no longer be receiving those credits.
Gov. Martin O'Malley directed state rapid response teams to immediately begin reaching out to laid-off workers.
"While Maryland's unemployment rate remains below the national average, today's announcement is a reminder for all of us that families in our state are not immune from the global economic downturn," O'Malley said.
Employees in Frederick will be given three months' pay and benefits, as well as severance and outplacement benefits.
"Our main concern is for the 320 employees and the city and county's Workforce Services stand ready to help in re-employment," said Richard Griffin, director of the city's Department of Economic Development. "BP Solar has been a long-standing employer in the city, the facility has been a source of pride for the community. I'm hopeful we can retain the R&D center and have a presence in the community."
Laurie Holden, director of Workforce Services, said her staff was prepared, even if a BP Solar employee walked in the door on Friday.
"We have set up six days over the next three weeks to meet with them letting them know how to file for unemployment and our re-employment services," Holden said.
This is the second-largest layoff her office has handled. The biggest was the closure of Alcoa Eastalco Works with more than 600 unemployed workers. Holden said she has already spoken with officials at the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation on potential funding to add temporary personnel to help handle displaced workers.
Bernie Kohn, spokesman for the department, said its Rapid Response Team would be in Frederick for the next three weeks helping BP Solar employees who lost their jobs.
Laurie Boyer, director of the county's Office of Economic Development, said her main concern is also the displaced workers. But she said she understands the economic pressures faced by a global company.
"BP Solar is competing with companies with costs (that are) a lot lower," Boyer said. "I know it was a difficult decision for BP Solar, but I hope it makes the company stronger to compete in the global market. As the market grows, that could mean the company's R&D will grow."
Fezzani said the cost of production is a global issue, not just local, and complimented the city, county and state for their support of BP Solar over the years.
"We shut down plants in Australia and Spain," Fezzani said.
The company's goal is to see more solar energy systems deployed, he said, but to do that the cost has to come down for the consumer. He said the company envisions a 50 percent increase in growth this year, but that is through production at lower cost.

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?storyid=102978

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