Green Scene

FREE “LUNCH AND LEARN” SUSTAINBLE ARCHITECTURE SEMINAR JANUARY 26


January 18, 2012 (San Diego) – SDG&E will host a Sustainable Architecture seminar on Thursday, January 26, 2012 from 11am to 1 pm at the Center for Sustainable Energy, 4760 Clairemont Mesa Blvd San Diego, CA 92117.  The presentation will be made by Simi Razavian, a certified green building designer who specializes in environmentally friendly building design incorporating ancient ideas into modern buildings.

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CPUC REJECTS SDG&E PLAN TO CHARGE SOLAR HOMEOWNERS & BUSINESS OWNERS

By Miriam Raftery

Updated January 20, 2012 to include SDG&E's response to the CPUC decision.


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SOLAR FOR RENTERS & HOMEOWNERS: SDG&E TO EXPAND LOCAL SOLAR MARKET, INCREASE CUSTOMER ACCESS

 

Pilot Program Will Offer Solar Options for All Customers

January 18, 2012 – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has filed with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for approval of its new solar proposal called “connected…..to the sun.”  The proposal complements rooftop solar and includes two different pilot programs that would give all SDG&E customers options to buy solar power even if they do not own a home, cannot afford a solar investment, or do not have the ability to put photovoltaic panels on their roof. 

Customers could choose to buy all or some of their energy from solar projects located in SDG&E’s service territory or negotiate directly with a local solar provider.   


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LA MESA RESIDENTS MAY TAKE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE AND ELECTRONIC WASTE TO EDCO

 

January 15, 2012 (La Mesa) -- The city of La Mesa holds frequent household hazardous waste and electronic waste disposal dates at the EDCO Disposal site at 8184 Commercial Street in La Mesa.

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25% OF CALIFORNIA'S RENEWABLE ENERGY NEEDS CAN BE MET BY SOLAR AT MILITARY BASES, SAYS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE


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SAN DIEGO RIVERBED CLEAN-UP JANUARY 16 HONORS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE

January 13, 2012 (Lakeside) -- Lakeside's River Park Conservancy, along with the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, is planning a San Diego Riverbed Clean-Up in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service.

This event will take on Monday, January 16 from 9am to noon. The meeting place is at a lot on the corner of Lakeside Avenue and Channel Road in Lakeside.


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SDG&E ENERGY INNOVATION CENTER OPENHOUSE JANUARY 18


January 11, 2012 (San Diego) -- SDG&E invites you to visit the Energy Innovation Center on Wednesday, January 18 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for a Community Open House which will include guided tours of the center and smart home, demos in the food service demonstration kitchen, and interactive kiosks and exhibits.

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WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN 2012 WINTER/SPRING CALENDAR OF EVENTS


March Members Month, The Backyard Flock: Raising Urban Chickens, Village Aquaponics Workshops, Fall in Love with Bees!, Designing a Small Space Garden and The Spring Garden Festival. 
 
January 10, 2012 (Rancho San Diego)—The Water Conservation Garden invites the public to enjoy its 2012 winter and spring events.  Gardening classes help residents save water and money by focusing on water-smart landscaping techniques and plants.  Classes are taught by experts and topics include lawn removal, water-smart landscape design, backyard composting, irrigation design and gardening for children.  Pre-registration is required for all classes.  To enroll call 619-660-0614 x 10

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SDG&E CELEBRATES SAN DIEGO’S BIGGEST ENERGY SAVERS


Lakeside
 Winner Achieves Nearly 50 Percent Energy Savings

January 5, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)– An energy efficiency program piloted by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) succeeded in more than doubling energy savings among participating residential customers during a three-month period. Erica Faunce of Lakeside, Calif., was declared the Biggest Energy SaverSM contest winner in San Diego after achieving a 46.5 percent energy savings, equal to 1,356 kilowatt hours for her family of three, and won a new laptop computer.

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RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRONIC WASTE JAN. 14-15 AT GROSSMONT CENTER


January 5, 2011 (La Mesa) – If the holidays have left you with old computers, TVs or other electronic items you no longer need, you can recycle them at the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce’s electronic waste and recycling event January 14-15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held at Grossmont Center between B2B Fit and Fuddruckers. 


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GOLDEN EAGLES FACE EXTINCTION IN U.S. AS NUMBERS PLUMMET, NEW STUDIES REVEAL

“Wind farms are the main cause. The issuing of license to kill will accelerate the decline toward extinction.”—Save the Eagles International

 An East County Magazine Special Report

By Miriam Raftery

January 6, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego County’s 48 pairs of nesting golden eagles and even rarer bald eagles could be in peril if proposed industrial-scale wind farms are built.  In a press release issued today,  Save the Eagles International (STEI) issued a dire warning, providing detailed documentation proving  that golden eagles and their nests are disappearing rapidly near wind farms across the U.S.

The group also blasted the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for changing its mission from protecting wildlife to “catering to the interests of an industry” that is a “ruinous one to boot.”  


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RECYCLE E-WASTE AT GROSSMONT CENTER JAN 14 AND 15

 
January 1, 2012 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce invites you to recycle your e-waste at Grossmont Center in La Mesa on Saturday and Sunday, January 14 and 15.

 
The event will be held next to Fuddruckers and B2B Fit from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  All electronic waste including TVs, monitors, computers, printers, etc. are all recycled free of charge (except there is a $5 fee for microwaves). People will also unload your car if you need assistance.

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U.S. DEPT. OF INTERIOR APPROVES TULE WIND PROJECT IN MCCAIN VALLEY

Local business leaders praise decision to expand renewable energy

Opponents hope Supervisors, court will protect scenic, cultural and wildlife resources

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

December 26, 2011 (McCain Valley) – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar signed approval December 20 forTule Wind Project on federal lands in McCain Valley in East County. The federal lands portion approved by the Department of the Interior constitute the bulk of the project, capable of generating up to 186 megawatts (MW) of the project’s total 200 MW capacity. 

The project will need additional approvals from the County of San Diego, California Public Utilities Commission, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and California State Lands Commission.  The County will hold hearings on a major use permit in the first quarter of 2012.  Planning Commissioners and ultimately, the Board of Supervisors are expected to vote on the issue.


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HOW TO RECYLCE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE AND MORE FOR A GREEN POST-HOLIDAY SEASON


By Miriam Raftery

December 27, 2011 (San Diego) – Christmas trees add beauty to homes during the holidays. But a dry tree can become a fire hazard. Fortunately, there are many places to recycle your tree in East County and San Diego. 


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CUYAMACA COLLEGE AWARDED $535,000 GRANT FOR JOB TRAINING IN WATER/WASTEWATER TECHNOLOGY


December 21, 2011 (Rancho San Diego)As water becomes an increasingly precious resource in California, more public water agencies and businesses are hiring experts to help customers find ways to better conserve water. To meet this growing demand, Cuyamaca College has been awarded a $535,000 state grant to lead a partnership of seven California community colleges that will provide more training for jobs in the water and wastewater field.

(Cuyamaca College water/wastewater technology students tour the Point Loma treatment plant and see a sample of sludge from plant supervisor K.C. Shankles.)


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DOE GIVES $700,000 ROOFTOP SOLAR CHALLENGE AWARD TO CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY


Project to streamline and standardize procedures and permitting for solar energy systems throughout Southern California
 
December 17, 2011 (San Diego) --  As part of the Department of Energy’s $12 million Rooftop Solar Challenge, the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) was awarded $700,000 to lead a team of 11 jurisdictions and five utilities across Southern California to streamline and standardize the installation of solar systems. The regional team will develop guidelines for expedient and uniform permitting and connection of rooftop solar aimed at reducing the cost of solar installations and making solar cost-competitive with other energy sources.

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HEALTH WARNING ISSUED TO GOVERNMENTS: WIND TURBINE SYNDROME HAS BECOME PANDEMIC, CONSUMER GROUPS CLAIM


December 14, 2011 (Europe) –On December 10, the European Platform Against Windfarms (EPAW) and the North American Platform against Windpower (NA-PAW) served notice to two European countries
regarding health hazards associated with wind policies. The groups, which plan to notify more government as well as the wind industry in coming weeks, claim to represent 600 citizens' groups from 26 countries. 
 
“Hundreds of families around the world have developed unbearable symptoms of the WTS (wind turbine syndrome) as described by Dr Nina Pierpont in her world-famous book of the same name. Many have been forced to leave their homes,” a letter sent to the Danish government states.

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CHANGES ARE IN THE WIND

 

December 23 deadline for public comment on County's proposed wind ordinance


By Caleb Trainer

December 12, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--The eastern portions of San Diego County have become areas for increased interest in wind energy production. In response, County officials are proposing changes to current regulations that, in effect, will make it easier for wind energy development—including both wind farms with large-scale turbines and smaller scale residential windmills.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: EXPANDING WIND ENERGY WITH SMOKE AND MIRRORS

 
By Jim Wiegand, wildlife biologist

 

 
Editor’s note:  Several massive wind farm projects are proposed for San Diego’s East County and neighboring Imperial County. The County is now considering a wind ordinance to make it easier to build wind farms.  But is the wind industry deceiving the public on bird death rates, particularly from new and larger turbines? 

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BROWNIES PITCH IN FOR ARBOR DAY PLANTINGS AT MISSION TRAILS

 
December 11, 2011 (San Diego) --  On Saturday, December 3, the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation held its annual Arbor Day by planting 10 oak trees and 10 shrubs along the Oak Grove Trail. 

 


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SHOP SMART DEC. 15 AND WIN PRIZES FROM GROCERS WITH REUSABLE BAGS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY


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AMERICORPS SEEKS VOLUNTEERS FOR DEC. 10 HABITAT PROJECT AT LAKESIDE RIVER PARK


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UNIVERSITY VOLUNTEERS HELP WOOD DUCK NESTING PROJECT AT SANTEE LAKES


December 3, 2011 (Santee) -- On a warm fall afternoon, students from the Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) drove through the gates of Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve to help with a very special project – the Wood Duck Nesting Project. This project rehabilitates nesting homes for the native Wood Duck population ‐ PLNU has volunteered to participate in this project for the past four years.
 

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FIRST “GREEN” TAXIS COME TO SAN DIEGO AIRPORT

Program provides rebates and incentives for hybrid cabs
 
November 29, 2011(San Diego) -- The first “green” taxis at San Diego International Airport made their official debut Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, as part of an initiative to bring hybrid vehicles into the taxi fleet involving the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE), Mossy Toyota and San Diego Metropolitan Transit System.
 

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COUNTY JAIL SWITCHES ON MASSIVE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM


East Mesa Detention Facility photovoltaic system is  largest on county property


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MISSION TRAILS ASKS HELP TO WIN $25,000: VOTE DAILY THROUGH DEC. 1

 

November 26, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) –Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation, which graciously donated space at its beautiful visitor center to benefit our nonprofit with our "Summerfest" event, has asked for our help--and yours. 


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KIDS GROW GREEN GIANTS IN THE BONNIE PLANTS COLOSSAL CABBAGE CONTEST


November 22, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--Its easy going and growing green with the National Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program.  Kids across America are learning to garden and some are earning a lot of “green” participating in Bonnie’s Cabbage Program.

This season, more than 1.5 million third graders in 48 states dug in and got hands-on gardening experience growing colossal cabbages, reaping hefty harvests and holding high hopes to win “best in state” and receive a $1,000 scholarship towards education from Bonnie Plants.
 

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GREENSMART TECHNICAL COLLEGE COMING TO SAN DIEGO—ALONG WITH ELECTRIC CAR ENGINE MANUFACTURING PLANT

 

An ECM exclusive special report


Amptran is developing an electric engine with capacity to travel 400 miles between charges using lithium air technology. The break-through could revolutionize the car industry --and eliminate U.S. dependence on OPEC Mideast oil

By Miriam Raftery


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AIR RESOURCES BOARD KICKS OFF NEW ROUND OF CLEAN VEHICLE REBATES

 15 million available, Board Member Ron Roberts presents first check in San Diego


November 18, 2011 (San Diego) — San Diego County Supervisor Ronald Roberts, a member of the California Air Resources Board (ARB), presented the first rebate check issued from $15 million allocated by ARB for clean vehicles to Kim Adelman of Poway, Calif.
  

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FIRE SURVIVORS’ REBUILT HOME IS ENERGY SELF-SUFFICIENT-- AND BEAUTIFUL


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