goodwill and meridian celebrate earth day. @GoodwillIntl @MeridianSol #earthday #renewableenergy
In celebration of Earth Day, I thought that this was a deserving post. It seems that Goodwill Central Texas and Meridian Solar have partnered to develop and install a system that will produce 520 kW of solar electricity, it is comprised of 2,132 solar panels. It will be split between two systems; a 260 kW system at the Goodwill Resource Center and another 260 kW system at the Goodwill Community Center.
"With the development of the new solar electric systems, Goodwill will recognize the immediate and long-term benefits of renewable energy. "Goodwill will save money on electricity for several decades to come, and the Austin community will also stand to benefit from the clean solar energy produced by Goodwill's systems," commented Mark Begert, Executive Vice President and Director of Meridian Solar. The two systems will yield significant environmental benefits, preventing 920,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere annually, equivalent to planting 800 acres of trees each year the systems are in operation."
Last year Goodwill diverted nearly 28 million pounds of materials from landfills. In the process they also created jobs, and generated revenue. Going solar just seemed to be the next logical step. Goodwill also supports multiple recycling events in the community and they are committed to sustainable practices.
"Partnering with Goodwill to develop 520 kW of solar energy in Austin was an exciting and rewarding experience for Meridian Solar," noted Andrew McCalla, Meridian's Founder and President.
This Friday, April 25th at 11am, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by Goodwill and Meridian Solar at the Goodwill Community Center located at 1015 Norwood Boulevard in Austin, Texas. This is to celebrate the completion of the two installations, the ceremony will also be open to the public.
Referenced by Digital Journal
sustainable sleeping. @deneboutdoors #ecofriendly #camping #ttot
Over a few thousand years ago, Neanderthals slept under fur and beside a fire to keep warm. Since then, advances in technology have resulted in cotton, wool, polyester and synthetic sleeping shelter.
Today, the typical adventurer is focused on "lightweight" and "compressible" camping gear while others are leaning toward sustainable alternatives. Its time to take a step back in time and learn something from our distant relatives - why reinvent the wheel when someone has already done the work.
Jared Sandlin and Jared Burris of Deneb Outdoors
Deneb Outdoors has presented a concept thats guaranteed to rattle the outdoor equipment industry. Their Rama Llama sleeping bag incorporates the use of humanely harvested alpaca fur and offers a sustainable alternative to sleeping in the wilderness. Alpaca fur's natural composition is designed to regulate and maintain body temperatures in variances of up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit whether wet or dry.
some of the features of the Rama Llama sleeping bag
Although Deneb Outdoors' website appears to be sold out of the Rama Llama, we're certain you you could shoot them an email, submit a purchase request and be sleeping responsibly on your next outing.
Photos courtesy of Deneb Outdoors.
volunteer state green home. @UTKnoxville @UTKCoAD @mothernaturenet @tva_newsroom @claytonhomes #energyefficient #greenhome
Factory-built by Clayton Homes, funded with grants from the EPA, and chock full of eco-friendly bells and whistles, the 1,008-square-foot home will officially hit the auction block in early May with minimum bids set at $155,000.
The New Norris House was completed in 2011 after a student-led team worked for three years to bring the concept, first conceived in a classroom, to a modern and appealing home.
The house is a technologically advanced reinterpretation of the historic homes first built by the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1933 as part of the Norris Dam project. It has become a nationally recognized model for efficient and sustainable living.
the New Norris Home floor plan.
Featuring five rooms, Energy Star appliances, a loft, reclaimed hardwood floors, a deck, and lush landscapes, the 1,006-square-foot space is more than a single-family home; it is the embodiment of the university’s design and research excellence. Sealed bids will be taken through 2:30 p.m. (EST) on May 5, 2014.
The winning bid will benefit from special features and reduced utility costs. The house features well-designed fluid spaces, maximized daylighting, LED lighting fixtures, custom millwork and a solar water heater that uses 61 percent less energy than the national average.
a simple explanation of the New Norris Home's water management system.
The home also inventively repurposes water. The wastewater from such activities as laundry, hand-washing, and bathing is rerouted to water plants. A rainwater cistern also filters water captured from the roof for non-potable uses in the home, such as toilet flushing, clothes washing, and hose bibs. Overflow goes to a second cistern, which irrigates vegetable beds in the backyard.
natural light illuminates the entire living space.
Referenced from Mother Nature Network, the New Norris Home and the UT College of Architecture and Design.
the scoop on poop. @TreeHugger #biologicalfurnace #alternativeheatsource
Guess you might be wondering why there is a picture of a toilet on the MSO blog? Funny as it may sound its because I read an interesting article today.
In the article it describes how you can use the Clivus Multrum (composting toilet) to heat you house. This subject came about because of a "lively twitter discussion about composting toilets, Nick Grant of Elemental Solutions, a British passivhaus consultancy, posted a remarkable drawing. It's from Goodbye to the flush toilet, edited by Carol Hupping Stoner and published by Rodale Press in 1977."
Long before passive house existed people were experimenting with alternative hearing sources, and one idea was to use the least considered heating source of them all. POOP!
Carl Lindstrom describes the system designed by Swedish physicist Mats Wolgast:
"It has been calculated that the waste in the Clivus Mutrum [composting toilet] has an average heating value that is about the same as wood. The aerobic decomposition process gives off the same amount of BTUs that would be generated if the material was burned instead, but at a much lower temperature.... The compost process gives off an average of 1kwh/person/day. In the Wolgast house with five people, this means about 1,800 kwh/year from the composting wastes."
Referenced by Tree Hugger.
eco upgrades at yellowstone ranch. @CSTribune @YellowstoneNPS #renewableenergy #lamarbuffaloranch
"The Lamar Buffalo Ranch, which is a National Register Historic District, is being proposed for some sustainable energy infrastructure improvements."
Lamar Buffalo Ranch
"The Lamar Buffalo Ranch was created to preserve one of the last free-roaming bison (buffalo) herds in the United States. The ranch was established in 1907 when 28 bison were moved from Fort Yellowstone to the Lamar Valley in the northeast portion of the park."
Lamar is an unbelievable place that's off grid and they value renewable energy so much that they are planning on adding to its existing system. If this piece of American history can be updated with modern equipment to help monitor energy use, raise awareness about solar energy usage and reduce greenhouse emissions; then heck, I'm all for it!
The ranch is about 10 miles from the nearest electric service and it proposes a plan to increase the amount of renewable energy that's already in place. System improvements would reduce energy and water usage. These enhancements would include solar storage batteries and a micro hydro turbine; man, I want one of those!
This project serves as an off grid model for environmental stewardship and education at Yellowstone National Park; way to go Yellowstone!