The EPA has handed out awards to companies, universities, local governments and others for partnering with the agency in "green" initiatives. Each of the award winners found ways to use alternative power sources. When I spotted the categories my first reaction was...nah, there won't be a single Alabama institution on the list.
I'm sorry to say I was right. There are companies with a presence in Alabama..like Kohl's, Whole Foods and Wal-Mart, but not a single Alabama based entity or location listed. In fact in the entire South, there were a few Texas listings and a single K-12 school in Florida.
Examples: Whole Foods, which the EPA says "...hosts and owns solar systems in almost a dozen locations...and hosts fuel cells at two of its stores. Wal-Mart in California and Texas uses wind and solar to provide 8% of its power needs. The University of Pennsylvania gets 46% of its power from wind, and has reduced the amount it uses by 18%.
I'm still adjusting to throwing plastic items into the trash to send them to the landfill for the next thousand years or so. Montgomery eliminated its curbside recycling program a few weeks ago. In addition to the largest hazardous waste dump in America in Emelle, we also have one of the largest commercial landfills in America in Perry County, Arrowhead Landfill, which has been in the news recently because of the coal ash headed there from the spill in Tennessee.
I believe populations get excited about environmental issues from the top down. If there's little enthusiasm for them from elected officials, there won't be much interest on the street level either, and certainly no funding. Then again, if voters cared about these issues, they would call out for candidates willing to embrace them. And I haven't seen that happening, have you?
The largest power production and sales company in Alabama is Alabama Power, which has a web page devoted to alternative energies.
The most Popular Posts of the past seven days.
Oct 26, 2009
Faint Environmental Praise
For the fifth year in a row, 
The EPA has handed out awards to companies, universities, local governments and others for partnering with the agency in "green" initiatives. Each of the award winners found ways to use alternative power sources. When I spotted the categories my first reaction was...nah, there won't be a single Alabama institution on the list.
I'm sorry to say I was right. There are companies with a presence in Alabama..like Kohl's, Whole Foods and Wal-Mart, but not a single Alabama based entity or location listed. In fact in the entire South, there were a few Texas listings and a single K-12 school in Florida.
Examples: Whole Foods, which the EPA says "...hosts and owns solar systems in almost a dozen locations...and hosts fuel cells at two of its stores. Wal-Mart in California and Texas uses wind and solar to provide 8% of its power needs. The University of Pennsylvania gets 46% of its power from wind, and has reduced the amount it uses by 18%.
I'm still adjusting to throwing plastic items into the trash to send them to the landfill for the next thousand years or so. Montgomery eliminated its curbside recycling program a few weeks ago. In addition to the largest hazardous waste dump in America in Emelle, we also have one of the largest commercial landfills in America in Perry County, Arrowhead Landfill, which has been in the news recently because of the coal ash headed there from the spill in Tennessee.
I believe populations get excited about environmental issues from the top down. If there's little enthusiasm for them from elected officials, there won't be much interest on the street level either, and certainly no funding. Then again, if voters cared about these issues, they would call out for candidates willing to embrace them. And I haven't seen that happening, have you?
The largest power production and sales company in Alabama is Alabama Power, which has a web page devoted to alternative energies.
The EPA has handed out awards to companies, universities, local governments and others for partnering with the agency in "green" initiatives. Each of the award winners found ways to use alternative power sources. When I spotted the categories my first reaction was...nah, there won't be a single Alabama institution on the list.
I'm sorry to say I was right. There are companies with a presence in Alabama..like Kohl's, Whole Foods and Wal-Mart, but not a single Alabama based entity or location listed. In fact in the entire South, there were a few Texas listings and a single K-12 school in Florida.
Examples: Whole Foods, which the EPA says "...hosts and owns solar systems in almost a dozen locations...and hosts fuel cells at two of its stores. Wal-Mart in California and Texas uses wind and solar to provide 8% of its power needs. The University of Pennsylvania gets 46% of its power from wind, and has reduced the amount it uses by 18%.
I'm still adjusting to throwing plastic items into the trash to send them to the landfill for the next thousand years or so. Montgomery eliminated its curbside recycling program a few weeks ago. In addition to the largest hazardous waste dump in America in Emelle, we also have one of the largest commercial landfills in America in Perry County, Arrowhead Landfill, which has been in the news recently because of the coal ash headed there from the spill in Tennessee.
I believe populations get excited about environmental issues from the top down. If there's little enthusiasm for them from elected officials, there won't be much interest on the street level either, and certainly no funding. Then again, if voters cared about these issues, they would call out for candidates willing to embrace them. And I haven't seen that happening, have you?
The largest power production and sales company in Alabama is Alabama Power, which has a web page devoted to alternative energies.
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I once knew an old-timer who illustrated quite well the very real power of alternative energy sources.
ReplyDeleteWhile enjoying a pleasant and filling meal with family and friends, then sitting around afterwards and talking, there would first be a small warning - a burp, however small.
Then, the most horrifically malodorous bad wind would silently waft through the air.
One by one - some more hasty than others - they would politely excuse themselves, get up and leave the room, or exit outdoors.
Almost everybody knows that after a good, large meal folks wanna' settle down and relax, or take a nap.
To get them to GET UP AND MOVE!?
Now THAT was some power to move things!
I still think it's an untapped resource! *LOL*
At election time, we shall remember our present mayor's disdain for recycling (despite his promises of something called a "plasma recycling plant."
ReplyDeletePlasma? Oh. Hallowe'en is coming.