Military Green Investments Could Hit $10 Billion by 2030

 

Breakdown of the DOD's energy use for operations and facilities. Eighty-one percent of operational costs go toward jet fuel, while 64 percent of facilities costs go toward electricity.(Credit: Pew Environmental Group/Federal Energy Management Report 2010)

It's no secret to anyone following green tech that the Department of Defense has taken a particular interest in advanced biofuels, vehicle fuel efficiency, renewable energy, and building efficiency. But many may not realize to what extent the DOD has changed its policy, or the large impact this shift is going to have on the economy, according to a report released yesterday afternoon by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The report asserts that the DOD is one of the world's largest institutional consumers of fossil fuels, consuming 300,000 barrels of oil a day in 2009. The DOD's energy cost for 2010 was $15.2 billion (PDF) with 74 percent going to operations and 26 percent going to facilities. About $11 billion of that was spent on liquid petroleum fuels, according to the report.

The study and the report, which took two years to complete, was overseen by retired Republican Senator John Warner, who is a former Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and former Secretary of the Navy. Warner is the senior policy adviser at the Pew Project on National Security, Energy, and Climate.

Aside from cost, a major nuisance of fossil fuel dependence is the danger involved in having to transport liquid fuels to combat areas, and the impact fuel availability has on the effectiveness of military operations. The DOD has estimated that 80 percent of supply convoy missions in Iraq and Afghanistan are for fuel, according to the report.

In view of that, the DOD has determined that incorporating renewables and other green tech into its energy ecosystem will improve security for the armed forces, as well as national security.

A move to less fossil fuel, especially in light of volatile oil prices, will also save the branches of the military money long-term both home and abroad, according to the report.

To that end, the DOD has set the ambitious goal of getting 25 percent of its energy needs from renewables by 2025.

The U.S. Air Force plans to be on 50 percent biofuels for all its domestic aviation needs by 2016. The U.S. Navy plans to reduce ship fuel consumption by 15 percent by 2020 compared to its 2010 levels. The U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marines both plan to get 50 percent of their needed energy from alternative energy sources by 2020.

And while all branches of the military have plans to upgrade bases and installations (PDF) with more efficiency for buildings, the U.S. Army has a "net zero" program under way to get its bases to produce as much energy and water as they consume, and reduce, recycle, and reuse their waste. Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort Carson in Colorado are on track to be net zero in all three categories by 2020.

There have also been myriad smaller roll-outs and programs within the last few years.

The Navy began using algae-based shipboard fuel on a limited basis in 2010. The Army began replacing its light-use vehicles on military bases with electric vehicles and ordered military bridges made of recycled thermoplastic composite in 2009.

The Marine 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment at Forward Operating Base Jackson, and their Afghan national army counterparts have been using portable solar charges in Afghanistan that enable them to carry fewer batteries and more ammunition, solar tarps on tents to power lights, and solar panels to power mobile command centers and computers.

The report noted that the DOD's shift in energy policy is a wise choice in terms of saving money and improving its own security drastically in the coming years. But its switch is also a secondary way to protect American national security, by helping the country to become less dependent on foreign energy sources. As in other areas of tech, military investment in green technology will help it reach commercial maturity more quickly, the report said.

"In fact, the department has created a far-reaching memorandum of understanding with the Department of Energy to help accelerate the innovation process in service of the nation's energy and national security goals. DOD and DOE are working cooperatively on advanced batteries, energy efficiency, microgrids, and 'smart' technology," said the report.

Concurrent with this shift in policy, DOD clean-energy investments increased from $400 million in 2006 to $1.2 billion in 2009, a 300 percent increase. The institution plans to invest even more, projecting its green-tech investments will reach $10 billion annually by 2030.

Warner said he's not surprised that the DOD will once again be the leader in a new space as it's always been one of the earliest supporters of cutting-edge technology.

"The Department of Defense fostered the Internet, GPS, computer software, and other economically important innovations. Today, our uniformed men and women and their civilian counterparts are committed to transforming the way the department uses energy through efficiency and technology development. Their accomplishments and innovations are enhancing our national security, our economic security, and our environmental security," Warner said in a statement.

Article by Candace Lombardi, CNET

Small Scale “Recirculating Aquaponics” Project On Maui Demonstrates A Feasible Way To Incorporate Aquaculture And Hydroponics For Sustainable Living (Video)

 
This Maui project is a great example of what grassroots ingenuity can accomplish. Click here to watch video

The Burrito That Changed the World - Or at Least American Farming (Video)

If you lump all fast-food restaurants into the same profit-driven-pushers-of-unhealthy-food category, you may want to delineate a new group: sustainable farming advocates.

Chipotle, the fast-casual Mexican-inspired chain with 1,100 locations across the U.S. that has been serving up healthy food made with organic and local produce since 2008, has just announced the creation of a nonprofit foundation targeted at increasing the amount of sustainable farming practiced by American farmers. They're the only U.S. fast food chain committed to organic and local produce (10 million pounds coming from a 350-mile radius of each location just this year), and they buy more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant -- proving not only that it can be done, but that it can also be affordable and excel in flavor. Chipotle's success may be one of the examples that led McDonald's to agree to begin purchasing cage-free eggs and moved one of its former executives to develop a healthy fast-food chain set to launch in the near future.

The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation will use its funding to support family farms and ranchers developing sustainable practices and youth-targeted education programs focused on food and healthy eating. In a statement from Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, he says, "By creating the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, we are extending our reach beyond our restaurants and will be supporting organizations and people that are working to improve individual family farms, animals and the environment, and youth and education programs."

Don't think they're serious? Chipotle also released a video this week featuring country music star and president of Farm Aid, Willie Nelson, singing Coldplay's "The Scientist" over an animated video of a farmer who turns his small family farm into an industrial operation that includes drugging livestock and creating pollution before a change of heart reverts him "back to the start" -- the song's refrain, where he embraces sustainability and better food.

Article courtesy of Organic Authority

Top 10 U.S. Cities For Green Job Seekers

According to a Mother Nature Network listing, the top 10 cities for green jobs. California led the pack with three of its cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento in the top 10. Green jobs increased in California by 36% between 1995 and 2008, compared with an overall job growth of only 13%. The top five from their list follows:

1. San Francisco is the number one city with more than 42,000 green jobs. As the San Francisco Chronicle's blog points out, for a city with a population of 809,000, that's a pretty impressive number. A sixth of the city's green-collar jobs are in the energy generation sector, with most of these in the solar industry. The city recently passed $100 million worth of bonds to create sustainable jobs and businesses. In addition to solar jobs, San Francisco is also filled with environmental consulting, green tech, and greenhouse gas emission monitoring jobs. MNN invited green architects in search of work to move to the city by the Bay, noting that 20 big construction projects have recently applied for LEED certification here.

2. Denver came in at number two, which wasn't surprising given that it is home to Vestas Wind Systems and other solar firms and clean tech companies. Government institutions, such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which is based in Denver, have produced green opportunities. During the Obama administration, NREL funding has almost doubled.

3. NYC was ranked third among the top U.S. metro areas for job creation, according to Clean Edge, a clean energy research firm. Also, many of PlaNYC's 127 initiatives are expected to create green jobs, especially because of the $1 billion for building retrofits to increase energy efficiency and because of the plans' target to reduce greenhouse gases by 30%. NYC also hosted a Green Collar Jobs Planning Commission and benefits from active organizations such as Sustainable South Bronx that provide green collar job training.

4. Portland created close to 20,000 clean-energy jobs in 2007. More than 1% of Oregon's 1.9 million jobs are related to the clean energy economy, the highest percentage in the U.S. Oregon ranked 3rd for producing sustainable manufacturing jobs.

5. In Los Angeles, energy generation jobs recently increased by 35% and energy efficiency jobs by 77%. Much of the green-collar job growth in L.A. is due to the 2009 Green Building Retrofit Ordinance, which required that all city-owned buildings greater than 7,500 square feet or built before 1978 be retrofitted to LEED silver certification standards. The ordinance also created a green jobs training program to help combat unemployment.

San Francisco, NYC, and Portland were also on The Daily Green's List of 5 Best Cities to Land a Green Job. The Daily Green also included Boston, which isn't surprising given that the Boston area was recently ranked fourth in a Clean Edge survey of the top U.S. metro areas for clean-tech job creation. Boston also benefits from its many renowned colleges including MIT, Harvard, and Boston University.

The more surprising choice that made both the Daily Green's and MNNs list was the City of Detroit since it currently has an unemployment rate of about 14%. However, Detroit has been the recipient of of U.S. Department of Energy grants that are creating jobs by funding hybrid and electric vehicle manufacturing.

Other cities which have been recommended but didn't make either list are: Washington D.C., Seattle, Chicago, San Diego and Austin. What is exciting about all of these cities is that the green job potential is growing not solely in the domain of cities along the coasts but also in the Midwest and Southwest.

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Health Clubs Can Fight Recession By Going Green

Did you know an average treadmill uses about 1500 watts of power that is equivalent to powering 15 old-fashioned light bulbs and in the process produces two pounds of CO2? Did you know the energy produced by 30,000 fitness centers located in the United States can power a small city?

Increasingly as Americans are looking for green options from driving hybrid cars to buying local produced food, business owners are facing a host of new questions. What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint? How environmentally friendly your business practices are? How do you actually become green during recession?

Being a health club owner, going green becomes a natural step forward. The primary focus of health clubs is to improve the health of the members and going green focuses on protecting the health of the planet. With increased competition in the health club industry, businesses can differentiate themselves from the competition by going green while simultaneously, improving the bottom line.

Adopting sustainability practices can help reduce the electricity bill which is the major operating cost for most health clubs. Shifting to energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights or LED bulbs can cut significant costs. Turn of lights in non-essential areas or turn on only every other row of lights in large areas such as gyms and swimming pools. Install dimmer switches on lights and keep lights at half brightness are other small steps that health clubs can take.

Today, many companies are producing special equipment for making health clubs energy efficient. The Green Revolution, a Connecticut based business has added around 1000 bikes at 60 gyms that convert the direct current created by pedaling into alternating current to be sent to the power grid.

Another important aspect of making your sustainability goals successful is to educate your employees. Encourage employees to share the health clubs initiatives with the clients to ensure that everyone at the facility is acting responsibly towards the environment.

Article by Marcos Cordero, Green Business Bureau

San Antonio To Give Composting A Try

San Antonio’s City Council approved a pilot organic waste program last week that could divert 9,000 tons of waste in its first year.

Next month, 30,000 households across four council districts will receive “green carts” for compostable waste as part of the Organic Material Recovery Program.

These green carts will accept yard trimmings, food scraps, food-soiled paper and uncommon compostables like cotton balls, dryer lint and sawdust.

The new program is part of the city’s 10-year plan to divert 60 percent of its waste by 2020. City officials expect to make significant progress towards this goal by collecting an estimated 9,000 tons of organic waste in the pilot’s first year.

Although the council ultimately voted 10-1 to approve, the high cost of the program raised concern for some council members, according to an article published last week by The San Antonio Express-News.

The new bins alone cost $1.8 million, and the city will pay a local waste management company up to $195,000 as part of a one-year deal to collect and transport organics.

If the program is expanded, officials estimate that the cost of carts and transportation could reach $33 million over five years.

Many city officials are confident that revenue from compost will offset costs. But some remained unconvinced that the program is an efficient use of taxpayer dollars – especially since it will be partially funded by solid waste rate increases.

In addition to high prices, some council members said questions of convenience and sanitation made constituents wary of the program.

San Antonio residents already use two carts for trash and recyclables, and some said that another cart would only further clutter their streets and alleyways.

Additionally, some residents worried that leaving organic waste outside during the hot summer months would result in icky smells and outrageous bug problems that could pose a threat to public health.

Some council members sought to delay the vote while concerns were mulled over. But Mayor Julian Castro, who is a supporter of the program, said that funds were allocated for organic waste diversion last year and costs shouldn’t keep the council from moving forward.

The performance of the pilot program will be tracked over the first year.

Pending city council approval, organic waste diversion programs will be instated city-wide by 2014, officials said.

Supporters noted that approving the pilot program does not oblige the council to continue with additional phases if performance standards are not met.

Article by Mary Mazzoni, Earth 911

13-Year-Old Makes A Solar Breakthrough With Fibonacci Sequence

One would be excused for suspecting that Aidan Dwyer, said to be 13, is in fact a small, very young-looking, 37-year-old college-educated con-man of the highest order. Such is not the case though for what the young Long Island lad has accomplished in a feat typically associated with much older individuals. As reported on the Patch community website out of Northport, N.Y., Aidan has used the Fibonacci sequence to devise a more efficient way to collect solar energy, earning himself a provisional U.S. patent and interest from "entities" apparently eager to explore commercializing his innovation.

And you're wondering what the Fibonacci sequence is. Aidan explains it all on a page on the website of the American Museum of Natural History, which recently named him one of its Young Naturalist Award winners for 2011. The awards go to students from middle school through high school who have investigated questions they have in the areas of biology, Earth science, ecology and astronomy.

So back to the Fibonacci sequence: Starting with the numbers 0 and 1, each subsequent number is the sum of the previous two - 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13.... These numbers, when put in ratios, happens to show up in the patterns of branches and leaves on trees. Aidan, having been mesmerized by tree-branch patterns during a winter hike in the Catskills, sought to investigate why. His hunch: "I knew that branches and leaves collected sunlight for photosynthesis, so my next experiments investigated if the Fibonacci pattern helped."

One thing led to another, and before you know it, this kid, three years from being eligible for a driver's license, had built a tree-like stand affixed with small solar panels in the Fibonacci pattern. He compared its ability to collect sunlight to a flat-panel collector. And Nature won.

Summing up his research and imagining the possibilities, Aidan wrote: "The tree design takes up less room than flat-panel arrays and works in spots that don't have a full southern view. It collects more sunlight in winter. Shade and bad weather like snow don't hurt it because the panels are not flat. It even looks nicer because it looks like a tree. A design like this may work better in urban areas where space and direct sunlight can be hard to find."

Article courtesy of Tree Hugger