Chasing Clean Air

4th Annual Alternative Energy and Transportation Expo - Santa Monica, CA

Rev your engines. Push the pedal to the metal. And get ready for the 4^th Annual Alternative Energy and Transportation Expo!

 

Alternative Energy and Transportation Expo

Presented by the City of Santa Monica

Friday and Saturday, October 2 and 3, 2009 --10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Santa Monica Civic Center, 1885 Main St. Santa Monica, CA 90401

The show continues to offer FREE admission, while featuring top speakers and noted  within the green and transportation industries. Parking is $8.00.

Green Boats

Years ago, my then boyfriend and I had a motor-boat we kept on the Chesapeake Bay. I loved boating! Still do.

At the same time, many boats pollute the water and air.

So today when I heard the Tampa Boat Show Sept. 11-13, 2009 will have a green zone to highlight cleaner boats and fuels hitting the market now, I thought I'd share here. (Photo I took a few weeks ago off San Juan Island.)

New Perspectives On Community Health and Air Quality Conference

If I were in Los Angeles, I'd attend the Community Health and Air Quality  Conference Friday July 24, 2009 regarding air pollution impacts and solutions for communities in Los Angeles.

Space is limited and the day long conference is free. Register by clicking here.

As it is, I'm in Victoria, British Columbia contemplating a zipline tour--that's as close to Tarzan-like behavior I could muster swinging through trees--and next week, I'll review the nearby San Juan Islands. Loads of clean air.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to subscribe to the Chasing Clean Air RSS feed!

The New Yorker's Economy vs Environment

The economy and environment go head-to-head in David Owen's March 30, 2009 article in The New Yorker. 

According to Owen's, the world's recession is having a positive impact on the environment, as collectively we drive less, heat less, buy less. But he warns we'll need tough legislation and new habits in order to battle pending prosperity, which historically brings with it increases in greenhouse gases. 

"We are borrowing against the world's dwindling store of inexpensive energy in the same way we borrowed against the illusory equity in our homes."

Owen encouraged caution when creating and implementing new greenhouse gas reduction benchmarks to come out of Copenhagen's climate change conference at the end of this year. 

Owen cited Canada's commitment to reduce greenhouse gases when it signed the Kyoto Protocol and despite billions of dollars spent on climate change initiatives, Canada's greenhouse-gas output increased to a hundred and twenty-two per cent of the goal by 2006, and the environmental minister described the Kyoto target as "impossible." 

Canada is a prosperous country, and therein lies part of the problem. I believe the Alberta tar sands, which produces some of the world's dirtiest oil due to energy used to extract oil from sand, is another problem. 

To read The New Yorker Economy vs. Environment article click here. 

Being that I'm writing from Canada today, (Victoria) I thought I'd mention another economy vs. environment issue here that effects us all. Farm-raised salmon in British Columbia are getting sick with sea lice that spread to nearby wild salmon. 

I wish we'd stop poor fish farm raising and frankly stop eating so much fish. If you eat fish, consider cutting back 50% or more. In my personal opinion.

There is a letter circulating around B.C. requesting that salmon farms be moved away from wild salmon migration routes because of the transmission of sea lice from caged fish. To read more check out Raincoast Conservation Foundation. 

Update on Feb. 22, 2010 - Great new documentary on extinction of fish in our oceans and what we can do about it. Click here to read my review.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to subscribe to the Chasing Clean Air RSS feed!

Compare and Contrast Southern California Convention Centers

Yesterday you could have found me at the Travel and Adventure Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

You wouldn't have known that we were in a recession.

Many people looked like they were making travel plans.

Every corner of the world was represented and rather than go into overwhelm, I stuck to the Caribbean and South Pacific areas with an emphasis on New Zealand.

Naturally, clean air.

But wouldn't you know it, what I remembered most was overhearing a few Caribbean travel representatives discussing the air quality within the Los Angeles and Long Beach Convention Centers.

They said that the Los Angeles Convention Center "won" for better air quality because, according to these seasoned convention-goers, the ceilings are higher so bad air has more room to circulate.

Side note: Last time I went to Faster Freight Cleaner Air (FFCA) at Long Beach Convention Center, where clean air leaders came from around the world to discuss air quality solutions, I noted doors from the garage to the convention area were open, fumes coming in.

My breathing felt negatively impacted and I had to leave early as a result. Too bad for those who enjoy breathing clean air that this year, FFCA will again be in Long Beach. Maybe they'll close those garage doors. For information about the FFCA March convention, click here.

The Caribbean travel representatives said the best convention center in Southern California is San Diego because they're not over a garage. 

Photo Banff at sunset.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to the Chasing Clean Air RSS feed!

More Companies Going Green at Go Green Expo

Update:

If you'd like your clean air product or service to be considered for inclusion in The Clean Air Guide, please forward your information for review to [email protected] 

Plastics remain in landfills and our oceans for thousands of years before breaking down. Beyond a nuisance that can strangle nature, its toxins poison our environment.

"We have a solution for the pollution," Tony Tracy, CEO of Perf Go Green said.

We discussed his biodegradable plastic soon to be on a Wal-Mart shelf near you, and possibly lining your garbage can.

According to Tracy, his dream team of engineers created a biodegradable additive to plastic that breaks down in 12-28 months, leaving nothing behind.

Mr. Tracy was featured in the brilliant documentary Fuel, which I wrote about here. And he gave a colorful party with noted environmentalists like former New York governor, Pataki.

Other highlights from Go Green Expo:

Claire Pimentel of Covenant Green showcased her organic cotton and silk clothing that combined flow and pizzazz. She was my favorite designer at the expo and had I remembered my wallet I'm sure I would have purchased at minimum a tee-shirt. Her long cotton dresses combined sexy with down-to-earth elegance. I would have enjoyed owning one of those, too.

Duchess Marden is a line of organic skin products, which I haven't tried. My only opinion is the Duchess hired top-level help. Here's Jen, sales woman extra-ordinaire; sincere, friendly, informative.

Let's see, who else did I like?

Orang Utan Republik Foundation. Most informative about how to save this species.

Are you planning to tear down a building or house? If so, I learned there are sustainable ways to do so. Deconstruction and Building Materials ReWuse Network in Laguna Beach provides this service.

If not, how about putting a green roof on your building?