Enjoy the show and tour 21012

Good radio show this week on renewables for consumers and buinesses

Take a listen to this show, and our others, at:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/renewable-now/2012/09/05/solar-services.

Also, listen live each Wed's, 12-1p, EST on WARL 1320 (and their stream: http://1320warlradio.com)

Listen 24/7 at Blog Talk radio to all of our archived show on the Renewable Now channel.

Next week we talk to the Rocky Mountain Institute about their many programs and successes, of which we've reported on several here on the blog.

The business side of green for sports Part 2

We've made the point many times:  Sports can be a leader by becoming mecca's, and teachers to the people attending the games, in efficiency and reduction of waste.  We applaud the sites cited below as we finish up part 2 of our story.

Continuing from yesterday as we finish a look at sports shifting to efficiency and clean energy:

Energy

Of 126 professional sports teams in the five major North American leagues, 38 have shifted to renewable energy for at least some of their operations and 68 have energy efficiency programs. Examples detailed in the report include:

• Solar – STAPLES Center has a 1,727-panel solar array covering 25,000 square feet of the arena’s roof. The 345.6-kilowatt system supplies 5 to 20 percent of the building’s energy use (depending on load) and produces 525,000 kilowatt-hours annually, saving an average of $55,000 per year.

• Wind – In 2012, Cleveland’s Progressive Field became the first professional sports facility to install a wind turbine, which generates more than 40,000 kilowatt hours per year.

• Renewable Mix - Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, home of the National Football League’s (NFL) Philadelphia Eagles, will be the first stadium in the U.S. capable of generating 100 percent of its energy through a mix of solar panels, a generator that runs on natural gas and biodiesel, and, soon, 14 wind turbines.

• Efficiency - The Seattle Mariners replaced an old incandescent scoreboard with a new LED scoreboard, lowering annual electricity consumption by more than 90 percent and reducing energy costs by $50,000 a year.

Water

Access to fresh, safe water is an increasingly dire concern across the globe. The report details myriad innovative water conservation techniques that have already been integrated into facilities. These include:

• Irrigation – San Francisco’s AT&T Park uses an irrigation clock that uses up-to-the-minute local data to establish zone watering times, saving 33-to-50 percent in irrigation water use. Changes in the composition of the infield surface have reduced field watering by 33 percent.

• Efficiency –Minnesota Twins’ Target Field installed low-flush, dual flush toilets and aerated faucets, which use 30 percent less potable water than conventional fixtures. This shift is saving approximately 4.2 million gallons of water annually.

• Water Restoration Credits – For the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals and 2011 Winter Classic, the NHL purchased over 4.5 million gallons in Water Restoration Credits from Bonneville Environmental Foundation to balance the amount of water used during the events. In early 2012, NHL Green introduced Gallons for Goals, committing to restore 1,000 gallons of water to a critically dewatered river in the Northwest for every goal scored during the regular season.
The NHL announced in April 2012 that the league replenished more than 6.7 million gallons of water.

Waste

Virtually all professional sports teams have developed recycling and composting programs. Meanwhile, all major sports concessionaires have developed environmentally preferable offerings. The increased demand for sustainable products - like compostable serviceware and recyclable paper products – has resulted in competitive pricing and far more waste being recycled and composted rather than sent to landfills. Examples include:

• Recycling – The Cleveland Indians have cut their trash in half from 1,262 tons to 613 tons by implementing an enhanced recycling program. This reduced the number of trash pick-ups by 64 percent, saving $50,000 annually.

• Composting – The Cardinals’ “4 A Greener Game” program, launched in 2008, is credited with recycling more than 1,836 tons of solid waste, more than 575 tons of yard waste, and more than 110 tons of composted organic material.

• Supply chain impact - The Montreal Canadiens implemented a purchasing policy requiring the organization buy only environmentally-friendly cleaning products. 80 percent of purchases now include products that are locally made and/or composed of reused or recycled content.

The business side of green for sports

Good work by the FL teams as reported by  The Sun Sentinel.  We'll cover this over two days:

The Business & Pleasure of Sports

Heat, Marlins, Magic lauded for green initiatives

By Craig DavisSeptember 5, 2012 12:59 PM

"Miami’s AmericanAirlines Arena and Marlins Park, and Orlando’s Amway Center are among the venues cited as figuring prominently in the green movement in pro sports in a report released Wednesday by the Natural Resources Defense Council, in collaboration with the Green Sports Alliance.

The report, Game Changer: How the Sports Industry is Saving the Environment, reveals the collective impact the industry is having on advancing environmental protection in North America, documenting innovative and cost-effective steps taken across all professional leagues.

The Miami Heat’s Triple-A became LEED-certified for existing buildings in 2009. The report quoted Jackie Ventura, the Heat’s operations coordinator, as saying the project resulted in $1.6 million in energy saving within the first year. It cost $73,384 to make the changes needed to obtain the certification.

“We also attracted about $1 million in new corporate sponsors, which include Home Depot and Waste Management, who aligned with our greening efforts as sponsors of our LEED initiative,” Ventura said in the report. “Being environmentally conscious improves our brand’s image so that we now talk with companies that never would have approached us before, such as Johnson & Johnson and Georgia Pacific.”

Marlins Park in May became Major League Baseball’s first LEED Gold-certified new ballpark. Among the ballparks green features, efficient plumbing innovations are designed to reduce water use by 52 percent, saving six million gallons of water each year compared to the national average for similar stadiums.

The Orlango Magic’s achieved that distinction among NBA arenas in 2010. The arena uses approximately 25 percent less energy and 40 percent less water than arenas of similar size and type, saving the team nearly $700,000 annually in energy costs.

“The motivation for sports to engage in greening is simple; the games we love today were born outdoors, and without clean air to breathe, clean water and a healthy climate, sports would be impossible,” said Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, director of NRDC’s green sports project. “A cultural shift in environmental awareness is needed in order for us to address the serious ecological problems we face, and the sports industry, through its own innovative actions, has chosen to lead the way.

“Pro sports are showing that smart energy, water and recycling practices make sense. They save money and prevent waste. That’s as mainstream and non-partisan as it comes.”
Some highlights from the report, whichcan be viewed at the NRDC site..."

A company pushing green

This is a very nice example of a company taking simple steps to build a brighter, cleaner future.  You can do the same:

AmeriFleet Transportation to Announce Systemwide Green Initiative

SHARING TOOLS        |PrintSubscribe

Share on emailShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on linkedinMore Sharing Services0

ALPHARETTA, GA – AmeriFleet, a provider of total logistics solutions and transportation services to the fleet management and corporate fleet industry, will announce a comprehensive system wide green initiative early next month. The initiative is designed to support AmeriFleet's commitment to provide quality service in a manner that ensures a healthy workplace and minimizes the company's potential impact on the environment. The program compliments green efforts of AmeriFleet's fleet management partners. 

"AmeriFleet recognizes environmental protection as one of our guiding principles and a key component of sound business performance," said John Norris, president, AmeriFleet Transportation. "From the office to the detail area to the highway, we will strive to use environmental best practices in all we do."

Highlights of AmeriFleet's green initiatives include:

Employees in the Office

• Use of sensor lights in offices/conference rooms and other associated work areas.
• Use of biodegradable cleaning products.
• Use of recyclable printer/copier/toner cartridges with an emphasis on reusing other products when possible.
• Composting lunch and kitchen waste.

 Employees in Detail Bay Area

• Utilize washable rags rather than disposable products.
• Avoiding engine idling.
• Use of biodegradable and earth friendly products.

 Service Delivery Professionals on the Highway

• Using alternate fuel when appropriate.
• Turning off the engine when stopped for more than 10 seconds and not idling for more than 30 seconds.
• Ensuring tire pressures are at recommended levels and that all vehicles have proper maintenance.

Future AmeriFleet green initiatives will include consideration of a discount for any moves of hybrid vehicles. Reinforcing the company's commitment to making a difference with the environment, employees will be offered educational 'lunch and learn' opportunities throughout the year. AmeriFleet will also display posters in the workplace indicating what is and is not recyclable and containers to separate trash from these materials.

For more information on AmeriFleet's green initiative visit them at booth number 1001 at the NAFA Institute and Expo and/or visit www.amerifleet.com.

[ Request more info about this product/service/company ]

Tags: AmeriFleet, green initiatives

Tracking elements of the election relating to the environment

We keep our show very non-political, we believe positive changes in the environment and economy need to fully and easily cross party lines, but it is our job to report a candidate's position that touches our eco-future and suggest their position on laws, mandates that will influence our global future.

Here's one such article (thanks to Free Speech Radio News) that bears reading.  Send us your thoughts:

In election, Republicans drop support for renewable energy incentives

"Today in Florida, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney was interrupted during a speech as he and his running mate, Paul Ryan, prepared to depart from Tampa and the Republican National Convention. Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez with the group Get Equal was there and told FSRN that about seven activists from his group and DRM Capitol went to the airport, where Romney was speaking to draw attention to immigrant and LGBT rights. Last night during Romney’s speech, several other activists were removed from the convention hall after they began to chant, “People over profit” and “Democracy is not a business.” A video shows three protesters, including Medea Benjamin, escorted from the building by security guards. One guard holds one of the protesters against a wall as a crowd gathers. As the speech continued inside the convention hall, Mitt Romney pledged to restore, what he called, the promise of America. “This isn’t something we have to accept. Now is the moment we can do something and with your help, we will do something.” 

An expiring tax credit for wind energy has become a focal issue highlighting differences between the Obama and Romney energy policies. Although the Republican party supported a tax credit for renewables in 2008, that support has been dropped from its 2012 platform. President Obama and other supporters of the credit argue that it is needed to save jobs and level the playing field as the nascent industry is developing. FSRN's Jim Pullen has the story."

Enjoy the show and tour 21012