Apr 18
Obviously not. We charge them up from a source that is almost certainly generated from dirty energy. But according to a new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, when comparing electric cars (EVs) with gasoline-powered cars, they find that:
Nationwide, EVs charged from the electricity grid produce lower global warming emissions than the average compact gasoline-powered vehicle (with a fuel economy of 27 miles per gallon)—even when the electricity is produced primarily from coal in regions with the “dirtiest” electricity grids.
In regions with the “cleanest” electricity grids, EVs produce lower global warming emissions than even the most fuel-efficient hybrids.
EVs charged entirely from renewable sources like wind and solar power produce virtually no global warming emissions.
As the grid gets cleaner and cleaner, so will your electric car.
Below is a map of the cleanliness of the US grid.
Apr 6
The PLACE team is working to make urban agriculture a part of every PLACE community. Why should walls be only walls or roofs just roofs when they can be places to grow food?
In Atlanta, the urban agriculture movement seems to be picking up speed and having a powerful effect.
According Susan Varlamoff, Director of the Office of Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia, in Atlanta, urban agriculture has picked up speed in the last five years due in part to the recession. Currently the unemployment is greater than 10 percent, homelessness has increased, and there are many foreclosures. Some neighborhoods have been decimated--drugs are a problem in these rundown neighborhoods, half of Atlanta is a food desert, and Georgia ranks #2 in childhood obesity.
Public and private partnerships are working to improve access to fresh food by establishing farms and community gardens, and stationery and mobile food markets in underserved areas. Through these initiatives we are seeing the potential that urban agriculture has to transform the city, neighborhood by neighborhood.
When well-managed, urban gardens are transforming neighborhoods. The best example is an area in the lower 4th ward where drugs and sex traffickers abound. A low income housing development was razed and in its place is a robust garden/farm that is now growing collards, broccoli, and cabbage. Rashid Nuri, founder of Truly Living Well, has hired 40 people to help him farm 6 urban farms and gardens. And the Atlanta Mission, the city's largest homeless shelter, now boasts a community garden where the men cultivate vegetables year round to supply the mission's kitchen with fresh food.
Mar 29
The Cleveland Indians club installed an innovative, 3,000-pound wind turbine on Wednesday, affixing the corkscrew-shaped structure to the top of Progressive Field. The revolutionary turbine, which amplifies airflow around a central cylinder to power four small fans, was designed at Cleveland State by Dr. Majid Rashidi, a professor of mechanical engineering.
Mar 26
A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, concluded that not only did the planet experience an increase in extreme weather events like tornadoes, heat waves, floods and droughts, but the researchers at Potsdam Institute for Climate Research determined that it is "very likely" that the events were caused by human-induced global climate disruption.
As probably all of us have observed, extreme weather events seem to be on the rise of late. The last decade included severe floods and record hot summers in Europe; a record number of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic in 2005; the hottest Russian summer since 1500 in 2010 and the worst flooding in Pakistan's history. In 2011 alone, the United States suffered 14 weather events which caused losses of over $1 billion each. Now there is compelling evidence that these weather events have their root causes in human activity.
Mar 22
In this interview with Thich Nhat Hanh from Vietnam, Hanh suggests that mindfulness and no less than a spiritual revolution is needed to move the world to a point beyond environmentalism to a point of "falling in love with Mother Earth."
What Buddhism offers, Master Hanh says, is the recognition that we all suffer and the way to overcome that pain is to directly confront it, rather than seeking to hide or bypass it through our obsession with shopping, entertainment, work or the beautification of our bodies. The craving for fame, wealth, power and sex serves to create only the illusion of happiness and ends up exacerbating feelings of disconnection and emptiness.
PLACE works with cities to build communities that are designed to facilitate a meaningful connection between diverse peoples.
Mar 12
Ventura's Focus on the Masters series will feature WAV artist and photographer Luther Gerlach. Mr. Gerlach's work is found in many private and public collections, including that of President and Mrs. Obama. He has lectured and given demonstrations at The Getty, Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, Museum of Ventura County and other institutions. The event takes place on
Tuesday, March 27, 2012, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Comedy Club at The Harbor, 1559 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 205, Ventura. To learn more about Luther click: www.LutherGerlach.com.
Mar 2
A quick video overview of our work to build creative communities.
Mar 1
A restaurant on a floating island with a 360 degrees Ocean view. It doesn't get more exotic than this.
A trully striking place to eat is located near Michanwi Pingwe beach of Zanzibar island in Indian Ocean. PLACE tries to capture the whimsical, creative touches of nature and design that spark the imagination.
We'll meet you there!
