GULF WORKERS FIGHT ... Gulf residents are asking Congress to lift the moratorium and to not raise taxes on U.S. energy companies. U.S. Energy Jobs, a project of the American Energy Alliance, cites a recent study released by Louisiana State University professor Dr. Joseph Mason, which states that the six month moratorium will cost the Gulf region more than 8,000 jobs and more than $2.1 billion in economic activity, "and if the moratorium is extended – the consequences could be much, much worse." Where do you stand?
CHEERS HOUSTON ... The City of Houston has been designated the number one municipal purchaser of green power and the fourth largest overall purchaser in the nation, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Who's shocked? And what won it this prize? Seems the city gets 32 percent of its total electricity load from wind energy. Here's the EPA's top ten: Intel, Kohl’s Department Stores, Whole Foods Market, the City of Houston, TX, Dell, Johnson & Johnson, Cisco Systems, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Air Force and the City of Dallas, TX. Oddly enough, the U.S. Department of Energy was ranked # 21.
STRONGEST ALGAE WINS ... Sapphire Energy is looking to make a super algae. Co-founder Mike Mendez says they've engineered over 4,000 strains in an effort to domesticate algae and turn it into a crop, but only the strongest will do. Mendez recognizes that over 100 academic groups are doing the same research right now, and rightfully so, since it can potentially produce 10 or more times more fuel per acre than the corn used to make ethanol or the soybeans used to make biodiesel, and can be grown on arid land and brackish water, so that fuel production would not compete with food production. Even better? Algae loves to eat carbon dioxide. What have you heard about algae? Any chance it will be viable within the next decade?
CAUGHT GREEN HANDED ... Coca-Cola and food market Harris Teeter are joining the City of Charlotte in an effort to promote new recycling bins in the Center City - and those ‘caught’ recycling can win cash, food and drinks. The Get Caught Green Handed campaign's incognito prize patrol will ‘catch’ a person using the new recycling bins and reward them with a $25 Harris Teeter gift card as well as a deli sandwich and 20-ounce Coke from Harris Teeter’s uptown store. Think of the possibilities for your area! This would also be a great program on college campuses.
FRIENDLIER SKIES ... Qatar Airways, the first airline to run a commercial passenger flight powered by fuel made from natural gas, has been honored for its achievement in recent industry awards from Airline Business magazine. The flight was made last October with an Airbus A340-600 with Rolls-Royce Trent 556 engines. The plane made the trip from London's Gatwick Airport to Doha, the capital of Qatar, using a 50-50 blend of synthetic gas to liquids kerosene and conventional oil-based kerosene fuel. Shell developed and produced the blended GTL Jet Fuel. Shell and Qatar Petroleum are building a commercial GTL kerosene plant in Qatar, setting the stage for the state to become the world's leading producer. The plant is scheduled to begin commercial production in 2012. Pretty impressive.
GREENEST COLLEGES ... Eighteen U.S. colleges and universities made The Princeton Review's 2011 Green Rating Honor Roll for maintaining the most sustainable practices, policies and course offerings among all campuses rated for their environmental friendliness, said the company that created the popular "best colleges" guides. This year 703 schools, the most thus far, submitted environmental information that was scored on a scale of 60, the least possible score, to 99, the highest possible score. The schools on the honor roll received scores of 99. Who ranked number one? Arizona State University in Tempe. And why? The campus has more solar panels than any other single U.S. university campus. The university's School of Sustainability, established in 2007, was the first of its kind in the country. There are some surprising, and not so surprising institutions on the list. Check it out.
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