Photos from Earth Hour 2009

So Earth Hour 2009 took place over the weekend, in which cities from all over the world participated in turning the lights off to raise awareness about energy conservation. Over 1000 cities jumped into this event, where the lights of homes, businesses and even world famous landmarks were shut off for an hour on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 pm local time.

If you were curious how this looked all over the globe, Boston.com has posted a series of breathtaking pictures from major cities like Beijing, Hong Kong, Athens and Paris, just to name a few. The coolest part? When you click on the pictures, the lights fade from "on" to "off" in stunning before/after style. Really great to see all these people buying into the idea of Earth Hour.

To see the pictures, visit Boston.com. So, how many of you took part in Earth Hour?

Inefficient HDTVs Could get the California Ban-Hammer

I love my HDTV like crazy. It's maybe one of the best purchases that I've ever made. Since I bought it though, I've watched prices fall to ridiculously low levels, and more and more people are starting to turn up with these works of beauty. With everyone getting their hands on these television sets, it makes you wonder how much energy they consume...

The California Energy Commission has proposed that all energy inefficient HDTVs should be banned from being sold in stores starting in 2011, citing a lack of proper regulation for current HDTV models. While many TV manufacturers do adhere to Energy Star standards, the CEC argues that those are not as rigorous as they should be, and allow a fairly generous watt usage.

Currently, the only real restrictions on these TVs is when they are in standby mode, which is only about 3.0 watts. Unfortunately, "energy used in standby mode only represents about 5 percent of all TV energy consumption." Right now there are many energy-hogging HDTVs in the market, specifically plasma TVs, which use quite a bit more power than LCD's do.

Hopefully this proposal leads to more "green" TVs being produced in all different formats. As the growth of HDTV continues, it becomes more crucial to lower the energy consumption from each unit. To read more, check out the article at Wired.

10 Green Buildings

There's a new trend in architecture of designing eco-helpful green buildings. No, I don't mean the old lady's house down the street with the nuclear paint job, I'm talking about structures that are sustainable in that they are both energy and water efficient, and even made out of environmentally friendly materials.

Fortunately, this idea is really catching on, leading to some definitely unique and thought-provoking designs in terms of being long lasting and sustainable. HowStuffWorks has put together a list of 10 Sustainable Buildings showcasing some of the more inspiring green designs from around the country. And seriously, some of them are pretty cool.

They sport everything from cisterns that collect rainwater to irrigate the landscape to PV panels that collect solar energy to supply up to 60 or 70 percent of a building's energy consumption. In addition, there are even buildings like the Factor 10 House in Chicago, which sports a wall of recycled water bottles as well as other materials made from recycled goods.

To see the full list of green buildings, be sure to read more at HowStuffWorks. Exciting stuff for the future, for sure.

Austin, TX Building Largest Solar Plant in The U.S.

Plans to build a 30 megawatt solar power facility in Austin, TX has been approved, with local energy provider Austin Energy paying $10 million annually for the renewable power and Gemini Solar Development building and operating the plant starting in 2010. The plant met some resistance due to the added cost in tough economic times, but Austin is working diligently towards its goal of producing 30% of its power from renewable sources by 2020.

The plant will reside on 300 acres chock full of solar photovoltaic cells provided by Suntech, and will sit approximately 20 miles from downtown Austin. Check out Austin Puts No Limits On Solar at Forbes.com for more details on the pending solar project.

Half Price Books Chooses Green Mountain Energy

For me, there's nothing better than spending exorbitantly on a stack of books, and Half Price Books stands as the great enabler of this particular addiction of mine. Try as I might to curb it, I often find myself browsing their hallowed halls for book deals galore.

What a pleasure it was, then, to see that Half Price Books has actually become one of Texas' largest retail green power purchasers, and is now going exclusively with green power in over 30 of their locations. How is this possible, you ask? Well, Half Price Books is going with "Texas wind power from Green Mountain Energy Company, Texas’ only electricity provider dedicated to cleaner energy".

It's certainly nice to have a company standing up and making a big step towards renewable energy. Hopefully, we'll see more and more retailers jump in as well. To read more about Half Price Books and Green Mountain Energy's announcement, check out the press release.

Eco-Friendly Lawn Care Tips

This past year I made the decision to be more eco-conscience. It's been a gradual step and so far, I've been recycling at work and at home, unplugged unused appliances, put in energy efficient light bulbs throughout the house and bought an Energy Star rated refrigerator.

This year, to be even more environmentally friendly, I've decided to take care of my lawn in the greenest way I can. This should be interesting since I don't have a green thumb and thus have had lawn service for the past 2 years.

Anyway, I thought I'd pass along the eco-friendly lawn care tips I come across. See tips below.

• Lawn Mower Blades - Keep lawn mower blades sharp because dull blades will make your lawn mower work twice as hard and use more fuel. Also, dull blades tear your grass, making it look brown and vulnerable to disease.
• FREE Mulch - Leave grass clippings on your lawn, it makes for great mulch and it won't cost you a cent. Not to mention less work, no racking or bagging!
• Tall Grass - Raiser your mower's blades 3-4 inches. Taller grass needs less water, competes better with weeds and prevents soil from washing away.
• Aerating the Lawn - I had no idea you had to do this but you do and apparently there is a green way to do it. Instead of using a machine, get yourself some spiked sandals and take a walk around the yard. I'm going to try it but I know my neighbors will look at me funny.
• Lawn Mower - Use the old fashioned push mower. Not only will you be green but you'll save money on gas and it is less dangerous around children. AND you can mow early in the morning and not wake the neighbors!
• FREE Water - Invest in a rain barrel, or make one yourself, to collect rain water from your gutters. This will give you an inexpensive way to water your plants.
• Lawn Moister Meter - Buy a lawn moister meter to make sure you're not over watering you lawn. You'll not only conserve water, but you'll cut down on your water bill in the summer.
• Leaf Blower - You'll get more exercise and use less gas if you use an old fashion rake. But I understand if racking is too much work, I have a huge lawn. So in that case, invest in an electrical leaf blower.
• Chemicals - Go for fertilizers and pest control products that are non-toxic. They decrease the amount of toxins that run-off into our waterways and tend to be safer to use around your pets and children.

Fellow Hunters Go Green

Looks like hunters, and all gun owners for that matter, now have a way of being more environmentally friendly. They can now choose to buy green bullets.

Green bullets are made of copper as opposed to the lead-based ammunition that has been sold and used for decades. Some environmentalists, scientists and hunters have begun wondering if bullets made with lead can be harmful to wildlife and humans.

As we all know lead is dangerous, but is lead-based ammunition a cause for concern? States like California and Arizona seem to think so, as they have banned the use of lead ammunition in most of their areas because it is home to the endangered condor. Arizona even gives out coupons, to promote the purchase of green bullets.

So far it seems tests are inconclusive as to if lead bullets hurt the environment and humans. Some tests say yes and other tests are inconclusive. What are your thoughts?

To read more about green bullets, vist cnn.com.

How Far Would You Go to Prove a Point?

Would you sail the open waters in a boat made of plastic water bottles to prove a point? Well that's David De Rothschild plan. He hopes his unique boat will help people realize that recycling plastic bottles is important to cutting down our waste on this planet.

He is currently building his vessel, the Plastiki, in San Francisco not far from Fisherman's Wharf. The boat is made of all recycled material except for two metal masts. After the voyage, which will take him and his crew from California to Australia, the Plastiki will be recycled.

De Rothschild is not without some reservation at the long journey, but he is committed to shedding light on the subject of recycling plastic. 

To read more about this incredible expedition, visit cnn.com.

Earth Hour 2009: Vote Earth!

Last year, we let you know about Earth Hour 2008 as the city of Phoenix shut off all of its city run lights to recognize the global event. Earth Hour began back in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, and this year the plan is to come back even bigger and better than the previous two, which have seen over 50 million participants.

For those that aren't aware, Earth Hour is one hour when people turn off their lights to demonstrate the kind of energy that can be conserved when everyone gets involved. This year, the plan is to see over one billion people take a part in Earth Hour to conduct a "global election" of sorts, known as Vote Earth. Basically, "VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community".

Earth Hour occurs on March 28, 8:30-9:30 pm local time. Hopefully, this year will go beyond expectations even, as over 74 countries have pledged to jump in. To find out more, head on over to Earth Hour.

Have You Tried the Energy Diet?

Have you gone on the energy diet? It's all the rage you know. Ok, well maybe it's not the latest fad but it will help you be more energy conscience, be more green and save you money.

Just follow the tips below and trim down your energy use today.

• Use energy efficient light bulbs to reduce your carbon footprint. Also, they do claim to last longer than regular light bulbs so you'll save money there.
• If you plan on insulating your home for the upcoming spring season, make sure to use environmentally friendly materials.
• Turn up the thermostat at night and during the day when no one is home.
• Turn off the lights when you are not in the room.
• Washing clothes in cold water can reduce your carbon footprint.
• Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth.
• Unplug all appliances and electronics that are not used often.
• If buying new appliances, purchase ones that are energy efficient.
• Replace your air filters often.
• Turn the A/C off and open windows when the weather is nice outside.
• Carpool to work or school if possible, even if it's one day a week.
• On sunny days, close your drapes to keep the sunshine out and keep your house cool.