Walmart Partners with Solar City on Solar Installations in Arizona and California

Walmart is planning to add solar systems to an additional 20 - 30 in California and Arizona using new technology lower cost PV cells.

The systems are expected to provide about 25 % of the total energy needs of each location.

The systems:
- can product up to 22.5 kW / yr - equiv to the energy needed for 1750 home / yr
- avoid 11,650 metric tons CO2 - equiv to 3000 cars

The technology planned includes gallium selenide and cadmium terruride films and are exected to use less raw materials then earlier versions of PV cells.

SolarCity will do the design work as well as install, own and maintain the systems.


Via:  Walmart  LINK

San Diego Saves Water

San Diego is currently in a Level 2 - Drought Alert Condition.· San Diego imports over 80% of its water so when water supplies get tight water conservation and reuse is critical. Two new plants provide for 45 million gallons / day of water from waste ...


" ... has built ... plants [to] treat wastewater to a level that is approved for irrigation, manufacturing and other non-drinking, or non-potable purposes. ... Recycled water gives San Diego a dependable, year-round, locally controlled water resource."


Via: The City of San Diego LINK

Green Activities at the University of San Francisco

The University of San Francisco has a Green Team that focuses on sustainability.  One interesting outcome was to modify water fountains so they more easily fill water bottles - helping to foster using a reusable bottle.

" ... reduce the ... use of plastic water bottles by using refillable bottles and drinking tap water. ... switching to compostable flatware to assist the composting program ... starting composting in the residence halls ..."


Via:  University of San Francisco  LINK

PenPack Plastic Packaging: Recycled Materials Made with Solar Energy

I noticed the apples at my local Costco were packaged in plastic containers to keep the apples from bruising.  What really intrigued me was the information on the plastic containers.  Made by Peninsula Packaging of California ... they are:

- made from 70% recycled drink bottles
- made with 50% energy from the sun

" ... as much as 70 percent recycled ... are themselves recyclable ..."

" ... 10-acre photovoltaic "sun farm" generates 1.1 megawatts ... produces about one-percent of all of California's solar generated power."



Via:  PenPack  LINK

US Army Solar Array at Fort Irwin, California

 The US Army is getting greener.  They are beginning " ... development of a 500-megawatt solar power plant at Fort Irwin, Calif."

" ... allow ... commercial developers to use land at Fort Irwin to construct a solar power plant there between 2013 and 2022. ... will provide power to both the civilian power grid in California, and to Fort Irwin, home of the Army's National Training Center."

" ... the Army will provide to the developers, for as many as 50 years, up to 14,000 acres of land. .. Army receives rent for the land through cash or in-kind services."

" ... facility with both concentrated solar thermal and photovoltaic technology. ... will be built in phases, with a project end date expected around 2022. But Phase 1A of the project, with a completion of around 2014, is expected to provide enough power to sustain Fort Irwin."

Via:  US Army LINK

LA's Airpots to Measure Carbon Footprint

Enviance makes software for measuring a business's carbon footprint.  Read how LAX is using this software today ...

" ... Los Angeles World Airports group ... operates three airports in southern California ... has “the same complex emissions requirements and reporting challenges as a medium-sized city.” ...

" ... the airport network has been working with Enviance for some time ... new FastTrack service will allow the airport network, which also includes the Van Nuys and LA/Ontario facilities, to begin fulfilling its reporting goals more quickly ..."



Via:  ZDNet  LINK

San Francisco now accepting Compostable Items for Pick Up

San Francisco residents now can add a composting bin for pickup along with the traditional recycling and trash.

SF residents can move a lot of what used to be considered trash into the compost bin ... further reducing the demand on landfills ... items that can be composted include "meat along with bones, seafood and shells, and most anything that was once alive ... 

"Unlike home composting, we accept all food scraps, soiled paper, and yard trimmings in the green cart. ..."

" ... green cart is for all compostable items, such as food scraps and yard trimmings. ... allows San Francisco to r... achieve the state-mandated 50% recycling goal.  "

Also accepted are ..."Coffee filters ... Greasy pizza boxes ... Paper bags, napkins, tissues and towels ... Paper take-out boxes and containers ... Paper tea bags ..."




Via: San Francisco Recycling LINK