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Featured in this newsletter :
- Palm Springs Green Scene takes a vacation
- Going cold turkey with our oil addiction?
- Revone Bauwens' scoop on current solar legislation
- Video of the week
- The PSGS bulletin board
This week the PSGS "NEWS" page brings you the following articles:
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Palm Springs Green Scene is taking a vacation
Dear friends and readers,
PSGS is taking it's annual summer vacation, and this newsletter will be
the last one of the "season".
Being green and sustainable on a personal level includes unplugging my computer and enjoying some rest and renewal in the wild.
Thank you for your understanding and support. Hasta la vista!
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Going cold turkey with our oil addiction?
By Geraldine Carpentier
There has to be a better way to deal with our fossil fuel addiction, in an era of fossil fuel depletion, than putting out heads in the sand!
Yet, I have the impression that the vast majority of Americans are doing just that.
Living and consuming non-renewable resources as if there was no tomorrow.
Living a business as usual lifestyle as if they have never heard of
peak oil, as if they have not understood how our society will grind to
a halt when the "wells run dry". The oil & gas wells, in the
US or abroad, will not literally run dry, but they will no longer
be exploitable when the energy required to pump out the diminshing oil-or-gas
is greater than the fuel produced. Or when the environmental
pollution caused by the drilling in American communities and offshore is so great
that we can no longer continue.
It may be a quick fix to simply ignore the energy crisis our society is
in, but denial is not going to change our extreme vulnerability. We are
so accustomed to the unfathomable luxury that fossil fuels are
providing us in our daily lives, that for the majority it is extremely
difficult to adjust and shift down to a simpler and more labor
intensive lifestyle.
Recent world news provides many examples of how quickly daily life
grinds to a halt when fossil fuel supplies are disrupted, be it by
social unrest, accidents, war, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and
other natural and unforeseen calamities.
Is that our
preferred future? Going cold turkey on fossil fuels will be our
reality if we don't start preparing, adapting, shifting to the new
renewable energy paradigm in a very focused and conscious way.
And it really isn't that hard. And it really isn't that expensive anymore either.
Consider how you and your family would cope for transportation,
lighting, heating-cooling, preparing your meals, and sourcing your food
and other essential commodities, without fossil fuels, or less of
them. Planning for this seriously will put you in an enviable
position when the ostriches will be waking up to the hard reality of a
fossil fuel-contracting world.
GO SOLAR-GO SIMPLE-GO SUSTAINABLE-GO SMART
As President Obama stated recently "we simply cannot
afford the price of inaction any longer".
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Revone Bauwens' scoop on current solar legislation
Here's the latest on Solar PV and HOAs:
The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (HR 2454) was passed
by the house in June 2009. The Act is also known as the 'Cap and
Trade' act, and includes a LOT of controversial energy issues, which is
why the bill never got voted on by the latest (111th) senate. HR 2454,
also known as the Waxman-Markey Climate Change Bill, contains a lot of
Congressman Cardoza's original HR 2848, called SOLAR - Solar
Opportunity and Local Access Rights - introduced in 2007, but never got
anywhere.
As of Earth Day 2011, Cardoza is reintroducing HR 2848, in an
effort to get his bill passed, while we wait for the Senate to pass the
big bill, HR 2454. The smaller bill, HR 2848, the SOLAR act,
addresses 3 issues: net metering, no restrictions from HOAs or other entities to Solar installations, and a solar research center. (see article below)
Currently, 43 states allow net metering, and about 40 states have some
kind of solar rights bill, addressing rights to install systems and/or
rights to non-shaded access. California's laws include AB 1892,
which bars restrictions by HOAs on solar system installations.
Included in this bill is the limitation of $2000 extra charges to the
homeowner for HOA desired system changes ( orientation, color, site,
etc,) and a limit of a loss of 20% of output for these HOA desired
changes.
The best site for solar laws for each state is DSIRE - the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Energy
http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?state=us
Both bills, when passed by the feds, will make nation-wide standards
for each state, making it easier for solar installations on a national
level.
1BOG has a great webpage for folks having to deal with HOAs:
How to Convince Your Homeowner’s Association (HOA) to Allow Solar Panels
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As Earth Day Approaches, Rep. Cardoza Renews Push for Solar Energy Bill
SOLAR Act Would Remove Barriers for Homeowners Seeking Energy Independence, Lower Utility Bills
04/21/11
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In recognition of Earth Day (April 22nd), U.S.
Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-Merced) announced he has re-introduced
legislation that protects the rights of homeowners to generate their own
clean, renewable electricity through solar power. The Solar
Opportunity and Local Access Rights (SOLAR) Act would cut through the
bureaucratic red tape currently preventing many homeowners from
producing their own solar power, giving them greater energy independence
and potentially significantly reducing their utility bills.
Specifically, the SOLAR Act (H.R. 1598) would mandate the ability of
residential solar customers to sell excess electricity back to the grid,
reduce barriers to solar power infrastructure implementation, and
create a Center for Advanced Solar Research to develop solar technology
and help create new green energy jobs. Read more
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cooking with solar ovens
learn to bake your own bread and everyday dishes -
no cost & carbon free.
do
away with lawns altogether and plant lush native varieties - no more
mowing, emmisions or electricity usage, nitrates or pesticides, huge
water conservation.
home or commercial solar charging stations for electric vehicles
install residential rooftop solar - own outright, or lease $0 down.
get used to walking and biking - learn to enjoy it as mode of transportation.
grow
your own food, or some of it, in raised beds, container gardens,
square-foot gardens, community gardens. Plant fruit & nut trees.
Learn to grow and use sprouts. Raise a few chickens.
support the local farmers and certified farmers markets. Support the locally-owned businesses and economy.
Grow & support your community!
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| Video of the week
END OF GROWTH: RICHARD HEINBERG
on the KEISER REPORT
Post Carbon Institute's Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg talks to Max
Keiser about
the possible end of our current economic system, and the link between energy and growth.
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Prior "Work with the planet, not against it!" postings:
For
millions of years life on Earth has persisted and evolved in concert
with the chemical, physical and biological processes in the
environment. The advent of the Age of Liquid Fossil Fuels brought
humanity the ability to jump start and force-march many of these
processes at terrible cost to the planet's environmental viability. In
the waning days of the Oil Age, it is time for humanity to relearn the
lessons of the past tens of thousands of years of civilization: life,
human and otherwise, on Planet Earth can recover and maintain its
viability and sustainability only as we rediscover working WITH this
planet's environment, animate and inanimate, not against it!" John Cooper
The PSGS bulletin board
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NEW store in town!
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Palm
Springs Hydroponics is committed to providing our customers with the
latest in grow lights, organic and hydroponic gardening supplies. We
carry a large selection of indoor and outdoor gardening equipment to
fulfill all of your gardening needs. From sprouting seeds to finishing
harvest, our experienced and friendly staff will guide you along the
way to ensure a successful, abundant garden year-round!
Palm Springs Hydroponics strives to deliver the best in high-value, low-priced products.
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Tuesday, May 10th
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Join us for a FREE screening of film that will change the way you think about food and health:
FOOD MATTERS
Tuesday May 10th, 6pm
Palm Springs Public Library
Tuesday May 10th, 6pm
Palm Springs Public Library
300 S. Sunrise Way
| Food Matters is a hard hitting, fast paced look at our current state of
health. Despite the billions of dollars of funding and research into new
so-called cures we continue to suffer from a raft of chronic ills and
every day maladies.
"Food Matters is to getting healthy as The Secret is to becoming wealthy."
"This is a MAGNIFICENT film on every possible level."
"Thought provoking, informative, and compelling, this film matters."
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Sunday, May 15
CHEFS PARTICIPATING IN MAY 15 SCHOOL GARDEN BENEFIT
- Robert Nyerick – Executive Chef Miramonte Resort
- Aaron Kiefer – East Meets West
- Brad Luckinbill – Pacifica in the Desert
- Brent Pollock – Jackalope Ranch
- Brett Maddock – Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant
- Kelly Walling – Hog’s Breath
- Oliver Wolf – Marriott Desert Springs
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- Emmanuel Janin – La Brasserie
- Christophe Douheret – Clementine
- Francisco (Paco) Solano – Solano’s Bistro
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Herve Glin – Cork Tree
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Becky Hill – Mission Lakes Country Club, DHS
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Robert Douglas – Sense
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Tanya Petrovna – Chef and founding partner Native Foods
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Tara Lazar – Cheeky’s
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Andie Hubka – Cooking with Class
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Join Riverside County
Supervisors Marion Ashley and John Benoit,
Coachella Valley Mayors & Community Leaders
For the 3rd Annual |
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Coachella Valley Energy Summit - May 12, 2011
- Palm Springs Convention Center -
Featuring Keynote Speakers
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Energy Resource Workshop & CV Bus Tour - May 13, 2011
- Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel -
Featuring a Sneak Preview of
The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands
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SPACE IS LIMITED!
REGISTER NOW FOR EARLY BIRD PRICING!
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For Program, Sponsorship, Exhibitor and Registration Contact
Burke Rix Communications at (760) 327-9708 x24 or visit
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The World Environmental & Water Resources Congress is an important
opportunity for professionals in the environmental and water fields to
convene and focus on topics of the day. This year's technical program
focuses on “Bearing Knowledge for Sustainability”. It is important that
the environmental and engineering community integrate sustainability, in
dealing with today’s issues whether they be technical, economic,
social, environmental or political.
Registration is open. More information.
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Wednesday, June 1st
SAVE THE DATE!
detailed event flyer
video : Dr. Will Tuttle - The World Peace Diet
The first 3 minutes of this interview will give you an inkling
of the message Will Tuttle will be sharing at the event.
contact rich@veggieadventure.com
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