Going to Florida to ‘catch some rays’ just took on some added significance.

Real estate developer Kitson & Partners today announced an agreement with electric utility Florida Power & Light to build the world’s largest solar photovoltaic power plant at Babcock Ranch, Florida, creating the world’s first city powered solely by solar energy.

The developers estimate that the 17,000-acre city of Babcock Ranch (I suggest they change the name) will consume less power than the proposed on-site solar facilities will produce, making it the first city on earth powered totally by zero-emission solar energy.  The city of Babcock Ranch will operate on an integrated “smart grid” that will provide greater efficiencies and allow residents and businesses to monitor and control their energy consumption.  All commercial buildings and homes in the new city will be certified as energy-efficient and constructed according to Florida Green Building Council standards.

The “greening” of Babcock Ranch extends beyond its energy production.  Half of its 17,000 acres will be permanently protected as greenways and open space, and the city is adjacent to the 73,000-acre Babcock Ranch Preserve. The Babcock Ranch Preserve was created by the largest-ever completed conservation purchase by the state of Florida, facilitated by Kitson & Partners.

The Kitson-FPL development has the potential to create 20,000 permanent jobs.

via: prnewswire rendering via: babcockranchflorida.com

Where have all those great bowling alleys gone?  Does your 68th viewing of “The Big Lebowski” leave you lusting for more?  Well, the answer is at hand — some of that beautiful wood has been reclaimed and transformed into great looking home furnishings by Brooklyn’s CounterEvolution, who specialize in such things.  Here’s a sampling of their work.

Legs on some of the tables are steel I-beams, fashioned with hard plastic, self-leveling, non-marring, black caps to protect floors.

prices on request

The University of Georgia has created a machine that may provide the answer to some pressing issues like energy creation, food production and global warming.

Biochar, is a highly porous charcoal made from organic waste, or biomass.  The raw material can be comprised of forest, agricultural or animal waste.  The UGA process feeds biomass into a barrel whereby it is cooked at temperatures that can exceed 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, through a thermochemical process called “pyrolysis.”  After baking for a few hours, biomass such as: corn husks, wood chips, peanut shells, or manure is transformed from organic waste into charcoal-like pellets that can be used for fertilizer.  Gasses given off during the process can be harvested to become fuel for vehicles or power for electric generators.

sources: cnn.com / biorefinery.uga.edu

• He paid major rubles for that hard landing…Russia Space Capsule Carrying US Billionaire Lands – yahoo! news
• California County Retreats on Offshore Drilling – reuters
• Florida at risk? Rising Threat – bbc
• Jeez…ya think clearcutting effects this?  Potential to Amass More Carbon in Eastern US Forests – sciencedaily
• I’m confused…Cat Teaches Puppies to Catch Mice – ananova

Solar landscape lighting just got a lot cooler.  Solar lighting innovator, Qnuru, has just announced its new line of art-inspired, solar landscape lights.  The line is designed by MacArthur award-winning sculptor and company founder, Tom Joyce.  Qnuru’s first solar lighting product line is aimed at meeting the growing demand of businesses and consumers to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and carbon footprint.

Unlike the typical plastic junk that usually passes as solar landscape lighting, Qnuru’s lights are elegant, sculptural forms that combine efficient LED technology, advanced solar engineering and integrated control systems.  Each fixture is designed to illuminate architectural features, walkways and plantings; some are Dark Sky compliant with non-glare directional down lighting for parks, campuses, cityscapes and parking areas.  Multiple digital microcontrollers provide intelligent power management and a full complement of features that can be custom selected and wirelessly programmed.

Qnuru products are engineered for strength and climate variability by using durable, quality materials and manufacturing methods and choices that include recyclable and renewable materials.  Translucent lenses that protect and conceal the photovoltaic array, the LEDs, and the reflective luminaries are fashioned from recycled cast, slumped or machined glass, high-impact (hail-proof) optical grade acrylic or natural mica sheet.  Very green.

Some of the new line (pictured right t to b) are the Turnabout, Talus and the Talus Bollard.

The Turnabout and Talus lights features two matched hemispheres that pivot back to back.  This functional rotation allows for precise orientation toward the sun.  One hemisphere, concealed beneath a translucent lens, provides a solar collection surface, and both hemispheres are lit with high output LED illumination. The control system and batteries are integrated within the units. Each pair of lights uses only 6 watts of power.

pricing on request additional source: prweb

• Walk or bike to work.  Not only will you lose weight but your boss may think that sweat on your brow was actually the result of hard work.
• Grow your own.  Gardening is great exercise and you can lose a ton of weight transitioning to a greener, vegetarian diet.  Just stay off the ganja.
• Get off the beef and dairy products.  The world’s 1.5 billion cattle are estimated to produce up to 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.  That’s more than cars, airlines and all other forms of transportation combined.
• Use the stairs.  Stay out of elevators and off escalators.  Your thighs will start bulging and your gut will start shrinking.
• Lose the fast food and any food that comes pre-packaged in plastic or metal containers.  Natural resources are dwindling and landfills are filling up.  The empty calories are clogging up your arteries, intestines and our national healthcare system.  Not to mention all the special ingredients, additives and salt in packaged foods that are fast-tracking you to the mortuary and a larger personal equator.

Don’t let valuable water and energy go down the drain.  You can save 50% more water and energy  – as much as 7,850 gallons of water annually with this “low-flow”, high-efficiency showerhead over a standard 2.5 GPM showerhead.  The Earth Massage 1.25 showerhead is designed to create greater force at low pressure.
The 9-jet massage function is adjustable and provides consistent flow rate regardless of water pressure and its non-aerating spray means less temperature loss and more energy savings.

Features: a non-removable flow compensator, self-cleaning and maintenance-free, installs by hand and without tools, meets or exceeds ANSI specifications, 10-year warranty.

available soon for $24.99 @ itseasybeinggreen.com

• To drill or not to drill…Dept. of Interior Hearing on Outer Continental Shelf Energy – enn
• Obama aide: Ocean Wind Could Replace Coal – msnbc
• Now about that new Yankee Stadium…Empire State Building to Go ‘Green’ – reuters
• The gang that couldn’t shoot straight.  Korean Satellite Misses Orbit – nature.com
• (34 photos) Animal News – aol news

There’s a new carbon offset program that will help you castoff the “emissions guilt” you experience when you rent a car.  In the year since its inception, Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental have seen combined, more than 175,000 customers participate in this carbon emissions offset program.  By paying $1.25 per rental, customers generated $220,000 for offset projects. In addition, the car rental companies’ (more…)