We watched Charlie Rose last night, and it was everything we could do not to commit hari kari.  On the show were Drs. James Hansen, Jeff Sachs, Elaine Claussen Pew President and a reporter from The Post.

http://www.charlierose.com/guest/view/6424

Sachs was thoroughly morose and laid most of the blame on the US and Obama’s failure to lead over the last year on this issue. Hansen was still hopeful that EPA, using the Clean Air Act (CAA), could force FF reductions, increased CAFE, etc.   Claussen was holding out for Cap and Trade, which has a very slim chance of passing the Senate and was arrogantly confident that her Washington power world would deliver something.  Hansen was adamant that we need to look beyond the cap and trade Bill to Carbon Tax and Dividend, and believed it could be brought to a national debate, as many are becoming jaded with the allowing polluters to pollute, watered down and politically manipulated  bill.  He gracefully beat back Claussen’s defense of mitigation– a key component of cap and trade, which fails to understand the basic scientific fact that we are altering the geophysical carbon balance by releasing from under the the Earth’s surface enormous amounts of carbon that any mitigation will affect, brilliant!

All blamed the Senate for stalling on this issue, and pointed out that the US had signed the Convention on Climate Change in 1994 and in 19 years has done nothing, even though that treaty has bound us to cuts and requirements to give to developing nations.  Obama has also been a major failure in framing this debate as it seems his staff can not command the language or high ground on this issue, captured by the old paradigm that the markets should be “free” to destroy our planet.

What we all must take away from Copenhagen, is don’t expect leadership to lead.  We are going to have to do this ourselves and look to local solutions.  Key:

1) up our political activism to pressure Washington and our States to use CAA to regulate;

2) work towards bi-lateral deals with China and India to set meaningful reductions, help in technology transfer, Millennium development goals and adaptation;

3) find local policy, funding and capital systems to promote our new green economy bottom up.

Without  solid playing field changes to stabilize carbon prices, don’t expect the engine of the free markets to contribute anything.

Watch as the news from around the world spirals downward as climate disruption rears its head, and pray for forgiveness that we did not do more and let a small group of greedy, conservative, status quo,  ideologues keep us from acting in time to avert the unfolding, human induced disasters .

Counter to the rhetoric of the authors, there are many within the environmental community that have seen the hubris in “saving the planet” without offering a tangible vision of sustainable development. Creating policies, demonstrative case studies and working from the grass roots “to build the Earth” has been a core tenet of many environmentalists, particularly those who have worked on integrated conservation and development (ICDP) overseas. In this country, we still face the either or mentality nature versus man, or the new oversimplification yet incrementally more palatable approach of Triple Bottom Line, where we optimize for Social, Economic and Environmental variables to achieve sustainability. However, this also over weights human activity at the expense of nature as well as creates a a false “pigeon-holing” of environment as a category rather than understanding the nature of our cosmology, which is that nature (and its laws of physics and ecology) are the bottom line and we are a component of it, or one within it.

There is much to show in environmental improvements globally, but they sadly pail in the juggernaut of hyper-consumption and global capitalism fueled by materialist pursuits in a postmaterial era. This spiritual disconnect of the environmental movement about which the authors rail is also debunked by the work of authors, like Thomas Berry, Aldo Leopold, Wendell Berry and others. The authors fail to pick up on T. Berry’s cosmology and use it as the basis for gaining passionate followers to the transformative, evolving “Universe Story.” Indeed the authors identify the need for a new story of hope and possibility, amidst the dire predictions of the future, to unleash the potential of human creativity. But their brief review of Berry’s work was shallow and focused on his book, Dream of the Earth, a early work of Berry’s that first articulated the ecumenical need for many voices and a new story.

The authors believe we should not be constrained or have limits, or at least not promote them in a transformative platform. They pit fall into promoting economic “growth,” when they really mean transformation (i.e. Herman Daly’s Steady State economic theory). To offer such as an “either/or” shows their own illogical argument. Developing countries will need to grow themselves out of poverty, however to do so at the expense of the environment will be not only self-destructive, but impossible. Their development will be a different kind of growth than what we in the West have experienced, and must leap frog industrialization, but to do so they must be offered the fruits of green technology transfer as quickly as possible. The author’s diatribe against the environmental community is weakened by their illogical non-secutors.

Overall this is a seminal work and parts should be required reading because of the authors brilliant job in assessing political will and cultural history and trends, defining well the power that is be hind the fundamentalist movement and juxtaposing it with the environmentalism. It is uncertain that the door they open in cultural relativism and reconciliation may not simply justify the Right’s continued irresponsibility. The authors spend a great deal of time discussing political philosophy, most of which are outdated modes of thinking and rampant with misperceptions of the fundamental systems that guide us. Determinism is strongly defended by the principles ecology and economy, and it is highly questionable how much freedom we have to change human behavior, and that “truths change as society does.”

The authors are major promoters of the Apollo Project and adaptation to a growing inhospitable planet that is now required because of decades of political inaction and capture by status quo and corporate interests. The authors explain away and find no blame in the economic injustices that have resulted from decades of greed and manipulation by powerful elite. Should not these people be held accountable given the evidence for “crimes against humanity?” Yet they point a hard finger at the environmental community as being as culpable as the conservative right from achieving political change on the issue of global warming.

They are right on that the message of “fire and brimstone” and the “sky is falling” have not been hopeful, too monkish and scientific, and unlikely to gain donors and transform fence sitters into fomented activists for lifestyle changes. This is ironic in that Christian fundamentalists and political Right have used red meat, Biblical literalism and oversimplifications to raise a political maelstrom of activism, as it appeals to their under educated and conservative demographics. Materialism and quest for power has been the drive of human progress and should be tapped, the authors state. But is there not a middle way, a way that can tap our primal need for competition, material gratification and power without destroying each other and the planet? Or is there a new, progressive socialism based on a cosmology of shared communion of a common origin and a creative, self-fulfilling future? This debate is core to what it means to be human on this planet.

They are right that the world is constantly changing, and that we are one with nature and product of it. Their argument is an important one, but the attack of the environmental community is alienating, as it is full of fallacious arguments. And is questionable whether they could have made their point without such libelous accusations against some of our planet’s most profoundly visionary and important activists and change leaders.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the Obama Admin. budget policies make a number of basic, false assumptions, which are reflected in the “Green Jobs Report”: One, that the economy will tank so badly that people will forget the need to transition to a “green economy,” shifting into a survival mode mentality (this is reflected in how low “environment” ranks in polls of Americans and the back lots full of unsold Priuses). Two, that big “T”echnology of renewables will dominate, when in fact, smaller technology reflected in simple weatherization projects, and small scale, sustainable ag. and distributed energy systems provide large “bangs for the buck.” And three, that the whole plan reeks of the failure to recognize the “elephant in the room,” over our hyper consumption under rising populations and rapidly destabilizing natural systems. Simply switching our consumption to green products fails to address the throughput issue. Lifestyle must be addressed, and indeed may be central, which begs the question of inherent traditional American “freedoms” as well as inequities.

Axiomatic of the problem of the Green Jobs Report is the definition of “green jobs.” UNEP’s definition is revealing: jobs that “contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality,” that “help to protect and restore,” “reduce” and” minimize” or “avoid” “consumption” of energy or “generation of pollution,” and that create positions that are just and fair. But notice these verbs, “restore” and “preserve” are not “conserve” or “sustain,” which implies setting aside and putting back into the system, regenerating that which has been deteriorated. Add in “fairness,” “diversity” and “equity” and that’s a tall order, given the massive market externalities, misperceptions of ecological systems and level of human induced degradation! There is absolutely nothing fair about free market, neo-liberal capitalism, which begs the question, “what kind of socio-economic system are we talking about?”

“Incubating quality green jobs” requires a strong public mandate, leadership, coordination and setting up the right incentives, identifying existing barriers, actors, “financing interventions” and the involvement of community groups and unions. This is a tall order requiring vision, leadership and unity of purpose of our elected officials. Establishing within each community Sustainability Advisory Boards and a Council or cabinet level Director of Sustainability “ensures that mandates become an organizing principle.” According to The Report, Green jobs policy should be “to leverage the unique capabilities and resources of the private sector to maximize the creation of green jobs,” removing impediments to private investment. Erratic treatment of the production tax credits has been identified as causing problems with “flagging investment.” Tax credits may provide better incentives if more of the credit can be converted to an upfront grant.

“Green jobs generate 2.7 times as many jobs as fossil fuel spending.” An illusion reflected in the document quote “by making wind power competitive with fossil fuel,” shows such a misalignment of priorities. We don’t want wind power or alternative energy to become “cheap as fossil fuel,” but want fossil fuel to reflect its true market, social and environmental costs. Cheap energy should not be the goal of our nation’s energy policy, as the results are inefficiency, suburban sprawl, increased pollution, etc. Yes, improved technology and competition will drive alternative energy costs down, but will take time. Replication, scalability and financing are needed. Some national “green market priority board” may help in ramping up technologies (i.e. thin film PV). Because of monopolies, corruption and market failures, waiting for not so “free” markets may keep good technology from achieving rapid implementation. Higher prices for these technologies will drive investment and innovation.

In ARRA, there is $500 million for research and job training projects that prepare workers for careers in “energy efficiency” and “renewable energy.” What is blatantly missing is the need for the promotion of sustainable agriculture and local produce development. This has such massive multipliers and economic and security value, I am surprised it was left out. Energy efficiency will likely absorb a fair number of entry-level trade and blue collar workers, but this presumes that folks can afford the upgrades to their homes and businesses. Renewables are closely tied to fossil fuel prices and right now there is little incentive to invest and zero capital for required financing.

The Green Jobs Report also presumes an easy transition to high tech, well paying jobs. But initially, most jobs will be entry or low level jobs. For instance, recycling that does not “value-add” is a commodity business. We send our waste to China to be remanufactured into higher value goods, which we then buy back. The carbon footprint is large due to under priced energy and suppression of the Yuan, thus making labor and material costs cheap. That we can create a larger middle class from green jobs is hugely optimistic. Our economy is teetering on another depression. Expectations are for “a sizeable wage premium (10-20 percent),” optimistic as contractors for energy efficiency, one of the pillars of the stimulus, are not high tech. positions. According to The Report, “Green jobs typically earn better wages,” but analyses from the workforce shows a lack of diversity, and “that they are more likely to be held by whites…men, and located in suburban and rural areas,” leaving out minorities and inner city residents.

My concern is that our expectations are being set too high based on the paradigm we are trying to supplant. Without the shift in perception and focus on transformative community structures, through incentives and disincentives, we will not achieve the equity and fairness most of us are expecting from the new, green economy.

I like the term “green jobs movement” as it is not just about creating fair and well paying jobs in the Green Economy. That, in fact, it is about building green communities, using the money earned to support other green businesses, and promoting healthful living and broader community development linkages. Some attention must be placed on building “green communities,” not just green jobs, to reinforce systems for these structural adjustments to really take hold and improve our behavior.

The hiring of Van Jones, President of Green for All who promotes “respect” of the environment and a Clean Energy Corps, is a big plus as he is smart and has spent time in the trenches and on the front lines. We need to rotate folks from the field to the classroom and to leadership and back again, building an apprenticeship, “teach the teacher” systems to implement transformational change rapidly and with efficacy. More case studies and their promulgation are needed. The document provides examples from LA where the Apollo Alliance has helped in workforce redevelopment using apprenticeship models. Training costs (free to participants) are paid for by less than 10% of public funds and by unions and contractors, through labor/management partnership agreements. Focus is on young entry-level workers, and on older, more experienced workers needing skill upgrades. Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training (BEST) is a 10 week training program, with a certificate and helps place graduates in local green businesses and provides follow up support for three years. Solar Richmond, introduces basic construction training with an extra 2 week solar skills module. Mile High Youth Corps focuses on young adults 16-24 to teach job and life skills, creating crews of 8-10 and is supported by YouthBuild. Work is paid and provides on the jobs training, and is accompanied by Corps-to Career classes for job search and preparedness.

“Investments in efficiency are much less centralized than those in renewable energy.” The Report promotes investments in Green Retrofits, energy efficiency and upgrading home equipment with better than “energy star” (since the downgrading of EPA’s classification by the Bushies) compliance equipment. Paying for it is the challenge. The Weatherization Assistance Program will allow an average investment of up to $6,500 per home in energy efficiency upgrades and will be available for families making up to 200% of the federal poverty level – or about $44,000 a year for a family of four. What is needed are loan circles, using energy savings from these upgrade to help offset costs. The Report suggests using energy bills for repayments, tying the investments to the property (not the property owner), and allowing transfer to new tenants. Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me2) solves the financing problem with an innovative program: coordinating funds with banks and contractors (their transaction costs are paid for by?). Fundamentally, changes are needed in building codes nationally, if energy efficiency is to take hold.

It is expected that the $6 billion in loan guarantees will leverage over $75 billion in investment, and will build on guarantees managed by already existing DOE and DOA programs. Establishing a Clean Energy Finance Authority (CEFA) is also an excellent idea. (However, loan guarantees require $25K expenditure upfront, without being guaranteed the loan, not much of a guarantee?) According to The Report, an important thing is “to reduce the complexity and increase the flexibility of CEFA applications.” Focus must be on small businesses, which are responsible for the majority of employment growth. Another local funding mechanism is Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds, or zero interest bonds that provide tax credit to holders.

The case study from Washington State shows an important protocol needing replication: first, they identify high demand green industries; second, their potential for creating high quality jobs; third, a Green Industry Skill Panel (GISP) is convened; and finally, a Green Collar Job Training Fund is created and money administered according to the findings of one, two and three. “The fund would distribute competitive grants to organizations. with proven success in implementing workforce training,… targeting adults and youth in families below twice the poverty line, dislocated workers and entry level workers.”

The good news is that the fallacies they use are so obvious, and the rhetoric has shifted from complete denial, to the range of arguments, including scientists are bad, scientific data is bad, suppression of information, “environmentalist are socialists” or “liberal fascists” (ad Hominem), “they are undermining our Constitution,” etc. Granted, they have a point on some issues, but they are becoming better at articulating counter arguments that blur the issue and will keep us from acting. Fortunately, one does not have to make a stand on whether or not the climate is warming. Fundamentally, it is about process and the process of living our lives is full of impacts, externalities that keep us from properly valuing the world around us, and that are causing massive loss of ecological integrity necessary for survival.

What is so consistent with these right wingers is their fear of losing their lifestyles, and particularly, their ideologies.  Sadly, they are losing them not because of the environmentalists and scientists who work with little to no resources to make their case, (as particularly compared to the lobbying, marketing and junk science of corporate status quo), but to that very hyper consumptive “free market” model that has entrapped us. Perceptually, we are blind and desperately need experiential learning- to know is to understand, to understand is to care.

What are they afraid of? That we are going to save energy, by promoting energy efficiency, new technologies and jobs and reduce reliance on foreign fossil fuel? We will always use fossil fuel, to that there is no doubt because is so much of it, but we should be using it like the precious resource that it is. Are they worried about the cost? My God, the costs of burning fossil fuels have been and will be enormous, check out the childhood asthma data, talk about costs!!?? How about an aircraft carrier tooling around the Persian Gulf, that is a steep bill we don’t pay for at the pump. Right wingers should be loving environmentalists for the work we do. Our societies will be stronger, more healthy, more community oriented and create more sustainable wealth than the globalized system brought to you by the corporate elite and “right wing philosophers.”  We even may be able at some point to increase freedoms, access to natural areas, hunting and fishing, etc. once we get on the right path. Right now we are killing our planet, death by a thousand cuts.

As much as I love Libertarians and strict Constitutionalists (love The Federalist Papers), there are some serious problems with the rhetoric on these websites.

Case in point:
www.thomasbrewton.com/
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Inquisition or Scientific Investigation?

This is full of fallacious arguments. I could take the time to pull apart each of the false statements, but prefer a more general discourse.

Embedded in these blogs are truths, but the arguments are made as if the environmental community is a bunch of socialists, fascists or communists, and want to take away our “freedoms.”

There are strengths and weaknesses to all forms of governance and political philosophy. The Founding Fathers, as beautiful as their legacy and work are, were oblivious to the intricacies of our natural world. The Scientific Revolution was just beginning and was dominated by the seeming power of Newtonian-Cartesian thinking and reductionism. Today we know that the world is amazingly complex and we have to understand that it is more governed predominately by quantum mechanics. That means everything is connected, the air you breath, the water you drink, the minerals you exchange in food and waste, all circulates. I breath in the same air you exhale, drink the water you pee (ideally after it has been recharged by nature). These resources exhibit certain renewable characteristics but energetically their flow reduces due to entropy, loss of order. All of these resources become available to us with sun’s energy (or from internal energy within the planet), and with the sun food is grown, or we supplement energy from other sources, like fossil fuels which are stored energy from the sun, to make the food we use to eat. Wind, water, solar all require the Sun. Geothermal, uses heat from the planets’ core.

Environmentalists and scientists espouse socialist ideas only because they reflect the natural world, and solutions that may work for problems from which we suffer. What we know of free market capitalism is that it has very social Darwinistic outcomes. Darwin was right about a lot of things, but humans and many other highly successful creatures exhibit higher social structures influenced by compassion and care that have evolved as best adaptive strategies. Capitalism, left unregulated, externalizes costs on people and the environment, because we are uneducated, spiritually vacuous, greedy, power hunger, etc. Capitalism also causes huge disparities in wealth, which we don’t correct because we like to keep our money and power, and feel we can spend it better. Sadly, we think Americans are generous lot, but we are not, dead last in the western world for percent GDP given to development. Marx was right on this, but was wrong on our motivations.

We can do better, that’s why we create institutions to better govern ourselves and create equity. We can argue on how to do so, but if we don’t, expect the poor to arm themselves and take what they can’t get by other means. Of course the wealthy, arm themselves too and the growth in the military and security industries are testament to that. But what the hell are we fighting for?

If we were all enlightened we would realize that working in our self-interest would mean that we would work for and with each other. This particularly so as the resources of the planet are depleted and population increases. What the Right is so worried about is loosing their liberty. But you mistake liberty for freedom, and we are not free, but defined by our genes and the laws of physics and ecology. With whatever freedom we have, comes a great deal of responsibility and that has been severely lacking in this generation. We are over-consuming the planet’s natural resources at a rate which they can not be replenished, drugged by the abundance that has come from this destruction of the natural capital of the planet, and blinded by the greed and power that this conversion of wealth has caused.

The environmentalists see the natural world for the real value it provides us and scientists should be honored for their contributions in this understanding. We have to learn the natural world’s laws and live by them. Human economy is a subset of those laws. Until we understand this and change our actions and institutions to better reflect these truths, we are on the road to ruin, and those guns that sit in my closet that those First Amendment nut cases fight for may sadly be needed to defend myself from the insanity that is this human predicament. How ironic!

Greenway will be offering a complete transportation package for The Inauguration, including a 100% biodiesel powered bus for up to 47 passengers, catered lunch, drinks, and dinner on the return at famous Bottoms Up Pizza in Richmond.  We will be leaving from Durham and its Green Oil Campus on January 19th at 8:00AM, arriving Franconia-Springfield Station Metro Station at 2:00PM.  And returning the 20th at 5:00PM, leaving Franconia-Springfield Station, arriving Durham… who knows when?!  Price for the complete package will be $200, which includes a $50 donation to The Forest Foundation.

For transportation and Inaugural details:

http://inauguration.dc.gov/index.asp

http://www.wmata.com/getting_around/metro_events/inauguration.cfm

Accommodations

Greenway will not be offering official overnight accommodations, but some limited space is available for first come first serve.  Prices for accommodations that are Metro walkable (30 mins. to the Mall) vary from floor space camping, to couches, to bedrooms.

Pedicabs on the Mall

In addition, Greenway’s new Pedicab Manager, John Bair, will be bringing our two pedicabs up to service the Inaugural festivities on and around the Mall starting Jan. 9th.  He will be running multiple shifts and two of Greenway’s founders will be on hand to drive and to make policy suggestions to any errant decision-makers who decide to “Go Green” and ride pedal power!  If John is smart, he may be able to get in the parade and give us some real nationwide publicity!

Sponsorship

The Bus and Pedicabs are looking for sponsorship for the Inauguration tour.  The Bus will have sign space on either side and on the rear, and the Pedicabs will have their back panel space available.  We expect hundreds of thousands to see us on tour, so given our high profile as probably the only biodiesel bus headed to DC and one of only a few pedicabs on the Mall, we think this will be a great marketing opportunity. Contact us for pricing.

Proceeds from the trip and sponsorship will help fund The Forest Foundation’s non-profit work.

Trip Stipends and Discounts

For those who can not afford the full price of the tour, but can show volunteer service and dedication to the cause will be provided stipends or discounts.  Other non-profit and environmental groups may also be offered discounts.  Two stipends of $100 each are available to students on a first come basis from Dr. Sandy Smith-Nonini of YIKES!  Contact us for details.

Deadline for Deposits:

Jan. 16th

Email us at:

info@greenwayrides.com, or info@theforestfoundation.org

Mary Katherine and Marc finally took a well-needed vacation (thanks to our parents support) at the end of November, visiting Prague and Bolzano in the Dolomites in northern Italy. Two of our friends’ decided to get married in Prague, MK had been before and Marc had heard of Prague’s Gothic beauty and attractions (i.e. beer), so it seemed a good idea to head for Europe. The trip couldn’t have been timed better, with the rising value of the dollar against the Euro and the pre-holiday celebrations. The Dolomites of Italy had been on their mind since their 2006 trip to Torino for the winter Olympics, and were a high priority as being one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Lots of cool environmental ideas came from the trip, as our green lenses are always on. There were a lot of things we learned from our European neighbors.

The Wedding

Our friends, Barbara and Shane, had decided to have their wedding in Prague after visiting early in their dating, and realizing what a magical place it was. Low and behold, after some good planning, communication and salesmanship, they were able to pull close to 70 friends and family to Prague. It was quite a crowd that made partying there all the more fun. We ran into each other on the streets, got ideas on places to go and shared stories after stories, etc. Drinking alone is not advised. The event was brilliant all around. Of course, MK and Marc started thinking about how one can run green events, like weddings, while critiquing the Prague event (See below). However, we avoided saying anything during any of the events, like “have you thought about mitigating your carbon footprint ….. ” as we thought it may be bad manners.

Barbara contacted the Prague Tourism office, which was extremely helpful in legal particulars surrounding the wedding, like English speaking ministers. But most of the leg-work was done by the couple, finding hotels, churches, caterers, musicians, etc. MK and Marc joked that the mayor of Prague was going to appear with the key to the city, given the huge economic punch the event provided. Granted the city is large, but 70 folks was a serious boost to the town center. The wedding likely cost less in Prague than in the US, even when including the airfares. Generally prices were slightly less, though downtown was expensive compared to rural regions of eastern Europe. Average Czech salary is $10K per year and the exchange rate was around 19 Crowns to the $1.

The wedding was held at St. Nicholas Church on St. Winceslas Square the center of Old Town. The square holds the famous cuckoo clock, and gilded and ornate buildings from many architectural periods line coble stoned streets and whined away from the center. It was a beautiful cathedral, and the English service was well choreographed in its simplicity. The reception was held at the jazz club, and the rehearsal dinner at the best micro-brewery, U Flecku, where we were served endless mugs of brilliant stout, traditional meat dishes and dumplings. Yes, meat, potatoes and bread are center to Czech food, but vegetarian meals were available. It seemed that much of the food was locally prepared or grown. After a typical meal, one felt the need to dawn armor and defend the parapet or head out to the potato fields! Sadly, Marc caught pneumonia before his trip and was limited in the full scope of his partying capacity.

Other features of Prague are the river, its beautiful bridges and the spectacular Prague castle, across the river from Old Town Square on a hill overlooking the city. Its nighttime lights reflected in the river and created a regal feel to the evenings. Prague also sports excellent micro-breweries, music scene and an alternative, arts culture astounding in its sophistication. There was a real sense of individuality, where clothing designs had a hip, hand made feel. Marc and MK found a couple a very cool, used clothing stores, some hip boutiques and local vegetarian and vegan restaurants, like Country Life and FX Café. These were great places to people watch. Our favorite “pivovars” were: U-Flecku, At the Little Bear and New Town Brewery, all of which had excellent food (sans the smoke). Our second favorite was Strahov Monastery at top Hradcany Hill across the river, overlooking the City. We ran into one of the monks in his PJ’s looking for the brewery, it was a hoot. The walk, to and from, will help work off the beer and you can duck into any one of the bars on the way back for a pee-break.

We had hit Europe during the famous town square craft festivals, where most large towns had vendors (they seemed exhausted) inhabiting kiosks, and selling lots of interesting hand made goods as well as local food. Birch bark ornaments, crystal, lace and the coiled bracelet cinnamon pastries were a must. Prague sported numerous glass and jewelry galleries (the area was a center for gold and silver smything in the middle ages and the reason it became so wealthy), as well as the second largest toy museum in the world, marionette theaters, a sex machine and torture museums (thank God not sharing the same building)! There was a lot to do for a wide variety of ages, and singing into the early morning echoed from the streets.

Walking and public transportation are wonderful, and we used the tram, metro and train system to get around, using roller luggage on cobbled streets, which created an annoying echo that let everyone know the tourists were coming. The city was ripe for pedicabbing, though taxis seemed embedded and horse carriages were available in the town square for about $100–what is their carbon footprint? We were surprised at how few bikes there were, but regulations, the cobbles and tram rails may have made biking somewhat difficult. Uniquely, the city requires helmets, lights and mudflaps. The hills above Mala Strana are a great place to exercise and catch a view. We used the metro and bus to return to the airport, which took about an hour from Old Town Center. We used the train to get to Munich and then transferred to a train to Bolzano, which took only 10 hours. The return trip was longer, requiring 4 trains and a trip through small towns of eastern Bavaria (Wald Bahn, “Wild Way”), a natural park and the Sudetenland in the snow covered mountains between the two countries.

Flying out of Prague we flew over Antwerp and saw a massive wind farm and an offshore installation. We also flew over Greenland and Hudson Bay and got our first view of icebergs, ice sheets and pack ice and the stark beauty of glaciated landscapes., wondering how well the planet was faring given record warming trends, loss of ice thickness as well as cover and reflectivity.

Though the Czech Republic was not as modern as other parts of Europe, its people and potential seemed great. Cigarette smoking was rampant and made Prague significantly less enjoyable, particularly to Marc’s compromised lungs. There was also a feeling of a Mafioso culture seemed to be developing and a slight seediness that tourist cities have. The influence of post Soviet era crime and corruption seemed to be waxing. One had this heavy feeling that the years of oppression and war was lingering, leaving one with the hope that the rest of the world would leave them alone, as the country has much to be proud of and should be left to develop at its own way and away from geopolitical manipulations.

The Dolomites

Taking the train to Italy from Prague we passed through into Germany and immediately noticed the number of solar PV and hot water panels and saw several large-scale, rotational PV fields. Lots of barns and businesses had commercial scale PV units. We changed trains in Munich and headed south over the pass into Austria, passing beautiful castles, alpine valleys and snow covered Alps, stopping in Innsbruck before heading south again over the Brenner pass at about 4000ft. Our Bolzano hotel had a very large solar hot water system and we passed a pumping hydro-electric plant several Kms north of town.

Watching the news in Prague we new the southern alps had received a major dumping of snow. Looking out the train windows we saw mounds of snow lining the tracks and hills. We had made a good choice, rather than going to eastern Slovakia or southern Poland mountains, which we had considered. We found that the Sudtirol area had received a two decade record of snow close to 30 cm early in the season, making the sunny days a warm wintry delight. The train line paralleled a major highway that wound its way through the mountains, along with the secondary roads and tiered villages, we were amazed at the level of safety engineered into these transportation systems. How much work over the years had been placed on building this infrastructure?!

The Dolomites are a unique geologic feature, essentially an ancient coral reef that uplifted to nearly 3000 meters, eroded, was glacially carved and created one of the world’s most dramatic landscapes. Bolzano sits at around 200 meters in the southwest corner of the Dolomites northwest of Venice and is a largest city in the Sudtirol region. It has excellent train and bus service and a beautiful, old town square within walking distance of the train and bus stations. Val de Siusi and Val Gardena were the destinations and took about an hour by bus to get to. Siusi is the largest, high alpine valley in the Alps and is ideal for its infrastructure for winter and summer sports and spectacular views of the Dolomites.

Our hotel room had a great view of the mountains. Castles lined the valley and the entrances of each side valley. This area was primarily German but was given to the Italians after WWI. Most folks speak German, but Italian was also spoken as well as Laden, an ancient language derived from Roman Latin and protected by law in the area. Each village had three names. The region’s beauty and ancient history conjure images of Tolkien, and indeed the ancient Laden fairy tales of people living under the mountains have influenced many authors. See these websites for more information:

http://calitreview.com/604

http://www.ilregnodeifanes.it/inglese/essay4.htm

MK and Marc’s favorite part of the trip, besides the food, beverages and spectacular views, was the Utzi Museum in Bolzano. Utzi was murdered back in around the 3^rd millennium BC, immediately covered by drying snow and his body discovered in a melting glacier (can you believe that?) at the top of a mountain about 50 kilometers northwest of the Dolomites. His artifacts of survival gear make REI aficionados look pathetic, as he had to learn to hand craft and repair his gear from all natural materials. Extensive scientific investigation has been able to determine a great deal about this man’s life and livelihood, his origins and environment. His life was not easy and death sad, but a great gift to us all. One of the exhibits on Paleolithic life showed a rock that was the base structure for a community that lived in the Val Siusi. We cross country skied right by it! In one view from the mountain gazing down the valley 600 ft. we could see 5,000 years of human history, and 100’s of millions of geologic history.

Green Tours and Vacations

Given MK and Marc’s global touring and event planning experience, it would made sense to offer advise/services on how to create “completely green European tours,” like Barbara and Shane’s Wedding. For the most part, Europe and its hotel and tourism infrastructure are already hands down one of the best places to conduct green events, particularly if folks want to make the commitment to going overseas. The biggest issue is our carbon footprint, specifically traveling there on planes. This of course can be mitigated through a dozen organizations, from methane capture to tree planting. But once there, travel by public transportation is a breeze even for large parties. With many of the European countries approaching 20% of their energy from renewable sources, this makes green travel and living by far easier than any place except maybe Japan. Biodiesel is available, but to find sustainable bus or car transport is more challenging, though the compact size and diesel engines tend to get higher mpg, high biodiesel blend stations are limited.

All the hotels we visited had signs asking folks to turn off the lights, reduce water consumption and towel washing in several languages, though few had low flow shower heads, LED or compact florescent lights. This may because the electricity is 220 and manufacturers have not focused on this market yet. Our Bolzano Hotel had a massive hotwater solar panel right outside our window, and showers were definitely warmer in the evening than in the morning. Generally, recycling was found everywhere and waste was minimized in many ways, including food. Localism is already a strong movement in Europe so finding local vendors and particularly caterers who use local foods is not a problem. Veganism and vegetarianism is on the rise and many gourmet options exist.

Prague and nearly any medium size town in Italy make ideal places to hold weddings, retreats or events that have a feeling class, uniqueness and a connection to history. The 12^th Century chapel in Tuscany next to where we stayed on our first trip to Italy markets itself on the internet to couples from around the world, so global sophistication is not lacking. There is so much to do and for the most part everything can be done within short distances, though “spoke” trips to larger attractions can be added to itineraries.

Opportunities abound to link with local green organizations and to participate in “give back to the community” projects, essential to make any tour more special and should be apart of any sustainable event. Accommodations exist for nearly any size party and generally costs can be kept to a minimum. Or one can go way upscale, depending on your budget. Greening high end facilities may be a task, but some may be on Eastern Europe and rural western Europe offer incredible deals with some surprisingly exceptional infrastructure.

Green tours to Europe can be a fun way to experience and to give.

  By Carolyn Tyler

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 20, 2007 (KGO) (KGO) — On the day the “no plastic bags” law goes into effect at large grocery stores in San Francisco, the city launches another effort to protect the environment. What is apparently the nation’s first citywide program to collect used grease and turn it into fuel is officially underway.

It takes a lot of grease to make the calamari at Puccini & Pinetti, an Italian restaurant near Union Square. The oil, five 50-gallon drums a month, won’t be dumped down the drain. The city is picking it up free of charge and turning it into biofuel.

“People still can’t come to grips with the idea that grease and waste can fuel a vehicle. We’re so consumed that it’s gasoline or some hybrid of gasoline,” says San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

San Francisco has a city fleet of more than 1,600 diesel trucks, buses and other vehicles. The mayor has mandated they all be retrofitted to run on biofuel by the end of the year. This new program, called SF Greasecycle, should help provide a steady supply — an estimated one-and-a-half million gallons a year.

San Francisco began collecting the fats, oil and grease on a trial basis a few months back. About 60 restaurants signed on before today’s official launch.

“Recycling and biodiesel are things in our restaurant goals, our eco-goals that this restaurant holds,” says Keira Moritz of Puccini & Pinetti.

Restaurants and residents who aren’t so environmentally conscious are clogging the city’s sewer system. San Francisco’s Public Utilities Commission says half the emergency calls crews respond to are connected to grease problems.

“It’s pretty much like our sewer has a heart attack and that’s a problem. That’s a problem close to four million dollars a year,” says Susan Leal with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

The city is not only reaching out to its 4,000 restaurants, but to hotels, businesses, and even schools. Stanford has already committed to the program.

There is no plan in place yet for residents, but if you’re frying a turkey or have other Thanksgiving grease, you can drop it off at the Costco on 10th Street and the city will pick it up starting Friday through Monday.

If you own a restaurant and want to sign up for this free city program, visit www.sfgreasecycle.org.