Searching for Cleaner (sometimes), More Efficient (often) Transport: I

For the win: San Diego Zoo - Solar canopy shades vehicles to reduce AC needs and increase electrical vehicle efficiency, while producing power for vehicles and the Zoo.

Honorable Mention: American Swedish Institute - Priority parking for FEVs.

Honorable Mention: Bishop Museum - Shaded, priority located electrical vehicle charging stations - count them, FOUR!

Green Bling

I'm buiding a collection of 'green' cartoons.

This is my favorite so far. It says what I think people feel when they seem me coming -- sorry about that, everyone.

"Oh God, here they come -- act green."

But this is the cartoon I use most. I use it to talk about the perils of Green Bling.

 

This really just shouldn't happen. But it does.

You've seen it around you:

• The dollars spent on a solar array in a low-sun region when the most-important step is improving the building envelope.
• The rain barrels purchased but not hooked-up; or hooked-up but never drained!
• Wind turbines and wind spires in low-wind areas.
• Bamboo single-use utensils (I mean come-on...use them again for Pete's sake!)

This isn't the same thing as Greenwashing - when you say something is greener than it is, or you use associations to convince consumers or viewers that you are doing something for green reasons.

Green Bling is using visible, catchy-looking green practices and products totally inappropriately because you're about the 'look', not the result.

Don't do Green Bling. But do send me pictures of if you see any!

Twelve Days of a Green Christmas at the Historic Site

On the first day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site a much-needed energy audit

On the second day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Two stormwater cisterns

On the third day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site a Three-part compost bin

On the fourth day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Four solar golf carts

On the fifth day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Five miles of window seal tape

On the sixth day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Six chimney pillows

On the seventh day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Seven heritage cattle

On the eighth of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Eight rooms of insulation

On the ninth day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Nine hens a laying

On the tenth day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Ten recycle bins

On the eleventh day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Eleven storm window inserts

On the twelfth day of Christmas, donors sent the historic site Twelve Compact Fluorescents

Twelve Green Museum Days of Christmas...

Here's hoping for a green holiday for all museums everywhere:

On the first day of Christmas, donors gave the museum a Building Management System

On the second day of Christmas, donors gave the museum two green roofs

On the third day of Christmas, donors gave the museum three living walls

On the fourth day of Christmas, donors gave the museum four PV Arrays

On the fifth day of Christmas, donors gave the museum five car-charging stations

On the sixth day of Christmas, donors gave the museum six stormwater cisterns

On the seventh day of Christmas, donors gave the museum seven bioswales

On the eighth day of Christmas, donors gave the museum eight motion sensors

On the ninthday of Christmas, donors gave the museum nine recycle stations

On the tenth day of Christmas, donors gave the museum ten operable windows

On the eleventh day of Christmas, donors gave the museum eleven low-flow faucets

On the twelfth day of Christmas, donors gave the museum twelve composting toilets

Green Energy for Hancock Shaker Village

Shaker innovation is alive and well at Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts. For a few years now the staff and board at the museum have really embraced green opportunities. In a visit last summer I had a short course in bio-fuel research and their Switchgrass (and others)-growing project with UMass Amherst.

But today's news is about a 'bundle' of seven businesses and nonprofits and their new solar panels. The seven groups are installing solar arrays as I type, and they aren't paying for it. Instead, the green energy and financing company is funding the build, with a little help from the State, and the seven members of the 'bundle' have committed to long-term purchase at a good and stable rate.

The Village is installing its array on and next to the modern Visitor's Center, but the energy company will own and maintain the system. The Village benefits from price reductions and protection on a third of the energy it uses. Its staff, members, and community (meaning all of us) benefit from the Village's carbon reduction. And the project builds on the Village's role as a place to think about a more principled life in the 21st century, demonstrating sustainable practice at this site from the 19th into our times.

Renewable energy projects are complex: tackling them as a team is the best and fastest way to make an important difference. Ah yes, yet another example of museums making positive differences in their communities.