GoGreenNation.org

I am an idealist. I am hoping for a grand gesture from our President to bury 2009 and welcome 2010.
Someone very close to me was “downsized” out of his executive job when he reached the age of 55 – that is, at the point where he became rather expensive to insure and would soon be [...]

I am glad that the L.A. Times editors have made this brazen pronouncement against nuclear power, but I’m surprised to see their support for geothermal power, which threatens the integrity of underlying stone and can trigger earthquake activity….
“Nuclear energy is not a reasonable solution because plants take too long to build and cost far too [...]

Dangers of geothermal “mining” revealed:
“All seemed to be going well — until Dec. 8, 2006, when the project set off an earthquake, shaking and damaging buildings and terrifying many…
Hastily shut down, Mr. Häring’s project was soon forgotten by nearly everyone outside Switzerland. As early as this week, though, an American start-up company, AltaRock Energy, will [...]

BP Solar is aiming to raise a number of $100 million-plus investment funds to jump-start its development and operation of big solar projects.
via BP Solar plans $100M investment vehicles – San Francisco Business Times:.

Guest Contributor: John F. Wasik

Author, The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome

If U.S. housing is going to rebound long-term, we need to vanquish the car and stop encouraging sprawl.

First, let’s hasten the demise of the spurb, an ugly word I made up to describe sprawling, unwalkable urban-suburban areas that have no connection to public transportation and central cities.

The spurb’s time has long past. Future energy demands from the rest of the world mean higher energy prices down the road. We need homes where there are jobs, infrastructure and transportation.

This is progress? Florida is moving too slow to address energy challenges:
Public Service Commission staffers have slightly changed their recommended energy conservation goals, which the panel previously rejected as being too weak.
The goals differ for each electric utility, but overall they would require a 2.11 percent energy savings in 10 years, according to the Southern [...]

In case you missed seeing Ric O’Barry on Larry King:
To celebrate Thanksgiving Larry King sat down with a series of celebrities and their heroes. In Ben Stiller's case he chose Richard O’Barry — the former dolphin trainer turned animal activist responsible for the documentary “The Cove” about the annual dolphin slaughter in Japan. The film [...]

From our correspondent Roger Witherspoon:
It is surprising that an administration known for its technological savvy and appreciation for science has difficulty distinguishing between the promise of a theory and the reality of an engineering endeavor. And it is puzzling that the Administration would be willing to commit a large portion of the limited funding for [...]

From Correspondent Christine Heinrichs:
The USDA and the Department of Justice have set dates for the 2010 workshops, http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/11/0572.xml. The original issue the two agencies targeted was monopoly in agriculture marketplaces, but the subject matter has already expanded. They include:
March 12, 2010 – Issues of Concern to Farmers – Ankeny, Iowa
This event will serve as [...]

Life is good. I am very thankful for my wonderful family, fabulous friends, cute kitties, and all the awesome folks who have visited Red Lips Vintage! Thank you and enjoy this weekend!
via Rachel Red Lips.

Signs of drought / Los signos de la sequía
Spent Sunday evening / Monday morning at a reservoir in Northern California heavily affected by the drought.
A beautiful photographic essay of water woes by Nathan Weyland.
Click view more:  A Little Window: Signs of drought / Los signos de la sequía.

Mining is dangerous. Let’s go solar and wind.
The death toll from China's latest coal mine disaster reached 87 as hopes dimmed on Sunday that more survivors would be found a day after a gas blast at a colliery in the country’s far northeast.
More than 3,000 people died in mine floods, explosions, collapses and other accidents [...]

More misery of war…. let’s just not do this anymore.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Mr. Obama brought home all of our soldiers as a Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Whatever gift to our nation and the world? I’m glad he’s out there trying to make peace with the world. There are so many better ways to live our lives than [...]

Five Steps to Green the Water on Your Brain
* Conserve
* Use a Rain Barrel
* Reduce Your Use of Toxic Products That End Up in Our Water
* Say No to Bottled Water
* Transition to a Plant-Based Diet
via Water: Get to Know It, Then Conserve It : Planet Green.

Thanks to David Pais, Pais Realty and Pais Landscapes, who has generously offered to sponsor our drinks for the party to celebrate our first anniversary! Raise a toast of thanks to David!

Consider decorating a living tree in your yard for the holidays instead of cutting one for a few weeks of cheer. You can collect pine trimmings for wreaths and garlands to bring the fresh scent of pine into your home instead – as long as your family isn’t allergic to it!
About one in ten people [...]

As Republican senators in the U.S. attempt to delay proposed climate change legislation on the grounds that it could harm the country's economy, a major study from three influential universities suggests that a robust climate bill would have the exact opposite effect and would boost GDP by $111 billion by 2020.
via U.S. Climate Bill Could [...]

The Reluctant Warrior – At 70, Ric O’Barry would love to be at home watering his bamboo and playing with his five-year-old daughter. Instead, he spends most of his time with people who hate him
Earth Island Institute | Earth Island Journal.

Christine Heinrichs is keeping us posted on the US Dept. of Agriculture and Dept. of Justice inquiry:
The USDA and the Department of Justice have set dates for the 2010 workshops, The original issue the two agencies targeted was monopoly in agriculture marketplaces, but the subject matter has already expanded. They include:
March 12, 2010 – Issues [...]