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Climate Solutions works to bring cool energy to overheating planet
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By Patrick Mazza
Planet Earth is starting to overheat as a result of pollution created by cars, trucks and power plants. Fortunately a series of very cool new technologies are now bringing us cleaner engines and electricity. Climate Solutions works to makes these options available to the public.
One way we do this is by connecting with all kinds of groups and individuals to spread the word about the new clean energy revolution. For instance, we helped Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell to incorporate clean energy ideas in the 2003 tour, including fuel cells and clean biodiesel. (That gave us the chance
to meet Beaver Power's Joe Ritter when we set our booth up next to his in the Seattle show's World of Just Becauses.)
Some of our education work is hands-on. If you ever visit Olympia, Washington, where we make our home base, come check out our Energy Outreach Center. You can pick it out by the solar panel on the roof, which uses sunlight to supply part of the electricity that runs the building. At the center we offer advice and classes on new energy technologies and the related field of Green Building -- making structures that have a low impact on the environment.
We've also been helping to spread solar around Olympia, in locations including the local farmers market and the Batdorf & Bronson coffee roasting plant. Between its solar panel and a wind power purchase we helped to arrange, B&B is the first coffee roaster in the U.S. to run entirely on Green, renewable energy.
Our work goes beyond Olympia to reach the entire Pacific Northwest. We seek to make our home region a leader in global warming solutions, and that involves us in a wide range of projects. One is Our Wind Coop in which we work with several partners to place small-scale wind turbines on Northwest farms and ranches. By generating wind energy farmers and ranchers are cutting their power bills, and even selling surplus electrical production back to the power company.
For rural communities, clean energy is helping family farms to stay on the land by providing a new source of income. Farmers can grow crops to make biofuels that burn with far less pollution than standard gasoline and diesel. That includes ethanol, which is the same kind of alcohol that is in beer or wine, and biodiesel, diesel fuel made from vegetable oil. Rural landowners can also lease their land for large-scale wind turbines. Harvesting the wind to produce electricity provides a farmer with more revenue per acre than they can earn from just about any (legal) crop.
Even cow poop can make energy. When put into a closed container known as a biodigester, the poop makes biogas that can run an electrical engine. A number of farms run on poop power and sell surplus electricity. An added bonus is that the compost that is left afterwards is much better for the soil and less likely to pollute streams.
Climate Solutions educates farmers, ranchers and rural communities about their opportunities to grow biofuels, make biogas and generate wind power. Every year our annual Harvesting Clean Energy conference draws over 300 people to explore these new energy options. We also offer up-to-date information for these folks at www.harvestcleanenergy.org .
The clean energy revolution has a high-tech side. Solar panels, made of silicon, are close relatives of the computer chip. Wind turbines are able to transform breezes into electricity with blades made of advanced, lightweight materials and computerized control systems. Fuel cells, which generate electricity with chemical reactions, also employ advanced materials.
A number of parts of the U.S. including the Northwest are beginning to sprout "Silicon Valleys" making new, high-tech energy systems. Climate Solutions has lined up organizations throughout the Northwest to build up our own clean energy "Silicon Valley" in order to make products that can save the global environment while creating new jobs and innovative companies in our home region.
We're also working on new options for clean transportation. One hands-on and local piece is an annual Bicycle Commuter Contest we organize in Olympia. Teams compete for the most miles ridden to work in a month. We also work at a very broad scale to encourage growth of new auto technologies such as the hybrid electric vehicle. Hybrids use far less gasoline so make far less pollution.
One place we hope to increase the number of hybrids is in state government fleets operated by Washington, Oregon and California. As the result of an initiative started by Climate Solutions, the Governors of these three states are working together to plan ways the West Coast can reduce global warming pollution. Hybrids are expected to play a big role.
The planet's climate is starting to change. If we do not get a handle on global warming, we could well lose the rainforests, ocean corals, and half the species on Earth, and expose ourselves to more severe storms, drought, wildfires, diseases and disruption of food supplies. It's probably the most serious situation we will face in our lifetimes. Fortunately clean energy solutions that can cool down global warming are here now. Climate Solutions is working to help people understand these new options and put them to use. To find out more visit us at www.climatesolutions.org |
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