Blog posts in Environmental News
S.F. Markets Sewage Sludge as "Organic Compost"
Does your organic compost contain flame retardants, heavy metals and endocrine disruptors? Well it might if you've been getting your compost from the City of San Francisco. Activists poured sewage sludge on the steps of San Francisco's city hall last week in protest of the municipalities practice of marketing sewage sludge as "organic compost." The word from our beloved EPA is that the sludge is safe, but many activists and scientists disagree. The USDA seems to somewhat agree, at least with…
Navajo/Uranium Issue Update
Earlier this year I wrote an environmental justice piece on the uranium disaster occurring on the Navajo reservation lands and other areas of the Four Corners. I say "occurring", because even though this environmental disaster is largely a product of the Cold War it will continue to plague people of the South Western United States for many years to come. There really isn't a cost effective, safe-n-sound method of disposing of or containing radioactive materials and waste. Traces, if not trov…
Obama Proposed Budget Is Step In Right Direction
Obama's new budget proposal cuts $26 billion in oil and gas industry tax breaks. Tax breaks that he says are "unjustifiable loopholes" for that industry. Furthermore, he is pushing to shutdown the planned construction of the Yucca Mountain radioactive waste facility in Nevada and he has proposed to end government subsidies for new nuclear power plants. The proposed budget will also end a research and development program for designing and equipping our Cold War arsenal with new and improved nu…
Budweiser Follows Sierra Nevada's Footsteps
Fairfield, CA - A Northern California Anheuser-Busch brewery in Fairfield has recently installed a six acre solar panel array which is now generating about 3% of the brewery's power needs. Anheuser-Busch also installed a Bio-Energy Recovery System which turns the nutrient rich wastewater from the brewing process into a renewable bio-fuel source which will produce about 15% of the brewery's fuel requirements. Other sustainable projects implemented at the brewery include a steam recovery system…
Berkeley Mayor Gives Up His Car
Today the San Francisco Chronicle reported that 71 year old Berkeley
Mayor Tom Bates has officially given up his Volvo for a public transit
pass and "a sturdy pair of walking shoes." According to the article in
the Chronicle, Bates stated, "I'm trying to reduce my carbon footprint
to the absolute minimum. I figure, if I really want to go someplace I
can just rent a
car." Apparently Bates had started taking public transportation or
walking to work and other events such as city council meetin…
Butte College: Largest Solar Campus in California
Oroville, CA - The Central Valley Business Times has reported that Butte College is
now the "largest solar powered campus in California." This is awesome
news for Northern California as we lead the way in sustainability with
schools like Butte College
We are making an ethical choice to become sustainable and preserve
existence of our earth.
Butte College's solar panel system now produces roughly 44% of the
college's energy needs. Butte College President, Diana Van der Ploeg
has issued stat…
3rd Annual Butte College Sustainability Conference
Oroville, CA - August 13th & 14th are set for the 3rd Annual Butte College Sustainability Conference, featuring keynote-speaker Dr. Woodrow W. Clark, a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Butte College welcomes all students, staff and faculty, as well as anyone else interested in sustainability. The conference is specially planned to promote green curriculum in other colleges and sustainability in other college campuses. Butte College is a prime example of how a college campus can bec…
Leftover Beer = Biofuel
Make Biofuel From Your Home Using Leftover Beer (Triple Pundit) - Feb 06, 2009
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co Inc - Triple Pundit
E-Fuel,
the company that wants to catalyze the paradigm shift in society's
energy consumption, has also recently partnered with Chico, Ca-based Sierra Nevada Brewing Co to produce ethanol from the waste produced from the brewing process. On
average, Sierra Nevada produces 1.6 million gallons of unusable "bottom
of the barrel" beer yeast waste. Instead of being directed to da…
30th Annual Endangered Species Faire May 2nd
Chico, CA - On
May 2nd from 10:00am to 4:30pm the Butte Environmental Council will be
putting on the 30th Annual Endangered Species Faire at the Cedar Grove
in Bidwell Park. This is one of the oldest and largest events in
Northern California designed to honor Earth Day and promote awareness
of environmental issues. The fact that the Endangered Species Faire is
more than a week after Earth Day clearly means that Chico doesn’t want
to stop celebrating our Mother Earth after April 22nd. To volunt…
Chico Fest 2009 April 25th-26th
Chico, CA - On April 25th and 26th, CSU Chico, the City of Chico Public Forum on Sustainability, and Sierra Nevada Brewery are partnering to present Chico Fest 2009, a celebration of local sustainability efforts and collaborations. The festival will include music, food, and a special ceremony honoring the newly constructed Sierra Nevada solar panel array. For more information check out the Chico Fest 2009 flyer at CSU Chico.
Art for the Sky Event - April 13th
ChicoEarthFlags.org is working with local businesses, Butte College students, and the Elks Lodge, to hold an Art for the Sky event. This
will be a unique opportunity for 1000 people to participate in living
artwork. Art for the Sky is a environmental art project by acclaimed
environmental artist Daniel Dancer.
Dancer will organize 1000 people wearing blue clothing, along with
heaps of recyclable materials into a one-of-a-kind living, artistic
rendition of Earth. The living art will be phot…
Earth Day
Earth - Earth Day will be observed on the main campus at Butte College on
April 21st and 22nd this year. Come join us for a variety of tables
and booths with information that can help you reduce YOUR carbon
footprint. If you would like to get more involved in the planning for
Earth Day, come meet at Woodstocks on Tuesday, March 10.
Representatives will be there from the Associated Students and various
clubs. We'll see you there!
Stay Informed, Be Active
