Chasing Clean Air

Marco Antonio Solis

I went with an open mind, and left with an open heart.

So was the power of Mexican singer Marco Antonio Solis, whose love radiated throughout Nokia stadium where he sang to 18,000 Hispanics, and me.

This guy lives love. He is love.

Love.

Last night's theme.

Marco opened his arms and offered a hug to everyone, suggesting we put economic challenges, fires, and all problems to the side to enjoy this moment together.

The moment dripped with sultry songs, love songs, ranchera, hot salsa with scantily, tastefully-dressed dancers.

And in between sets, he spoke of love.

Falling in love is the most important thing one can experience in a lifetime. Acting loving everyday to nurture one's love will keep love alive. Walking away when there is no love to start again with someone new is important too.

Solar Technology to Power Your Gadgets

Last night, I walked out of Happy Go Lucky, a British movie which wasn't my cup of tea, and walked into Barnes & Noble, where I perused periodicals on web design, photoshop, and found Freeloader... a really exciting solar technology product out of the U.K.

Guess I had a British theme going on as if an invisible thread was leading me to...

Go backpacking? Like a real chasing clean air chick.

You see, when I do next time, I won't need to concern myself with whether or not I charged my ipod. Or my radio.

With Freeloader, I'll recharge with the sun's energy (assuming there's rays that day) and let Freeloader power my devices. As I power my walk. Walk my talk. Set off into the carbon-free sunset. To music and NPR.

Wow!

You can read more here. And in the U.S. you can buy technology here.

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Rambling

I met two girlfriends for a walk in Santa Monica. We talked about dummy Palin (one friend said she liked McCain enough until this judgment proved frightening), yes on Prop 7, how we've craved stability during these unstable times, identity theft and how to avoid it, and how until we're violated we're pretty trusting folks. And on the way home, I took photos of traffic. This is what 2:30 p.m. on Los Angeles 405 looked like.

Driving I thought about Saturday Night Live. How this week they stooped low inviting Palin.

My friends and I won't watch. If Palin can't take serious questions from the media, surely we won't give her time for comedy. She's not funny.

Let's Dance

I've been going through photos, looking for one I may use as the Chasing Clean air header masthead, and found this from dancing a few years back. I haven't been dancing lately, which is not like me. So this is my reminder to get back to happy feet, swinging to music with my friends.

Move Over Hybrids: Renault Introduces All Electric Car at Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris

When I read that Europe is ahead of us in small gas-efficient cars, and seemingly all-electric cars, too, it kind of irked me.

I mean, I breathe diesel-laden, ozone producing black air when in Los Angeles. What's wrong with this picture?

Renault come here!

Actually Renault is in Palo Alto, but they're working to advance Denmark and Israel with their technology in a program called Better Place, which you can read here.

My gut is it has to do with better leadership in Israel and Denmark. Responsive leadership. Headed for true energy independence. Denmark has an incredible story how it made energy independence a goal back in the seventies, and now they're close to 100% powered by safe renewables.

Renault introduced its all electric car in Paris last week, while economies crashed around it. But the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris introduced this technology, which we need to know about too.

(Actually, GM had created and then crushed its all-electric car, hence the movie Who Killed The Electric Car)

So today we need the technology again, and leadership to pave the road with electric--powered by renewable--energy cars!

I think GM and Ford would've been healthier financially had they kept up the electric car, and ramped up development for even more.

Renault is pushing it's all electric, meaning, battery powered car. Not hybrid like GM's anticipated Chevy Volt, which is a hybrid encumbered by two types of engines: one powered by gasoline, the other a battery.

This hybrid technology means it can drive further than a 100 percent battery-powered car but at greater expense, meaning, more money and pollution.

What's slowing me?

Okay, I went to the bank to get Canadian dollars. Had to drive to Beverly Hills, the only branch with available foreign currency, and as I drove I became aware that identity theft, economic woes (contagious in our air), dad's schedule to come down, were in part an excuse. I had to face it. My chase for clean air is temporarily stumped by fact that I'm comfortable. I have close ties in Los Angeles. We cough together. We comfort together.