Blog Posts


Seattle gets a look at the Nissan Leaf
In the year 2010 900 Seattle area residents are going to become the lucky new owners of the Nissan Leaf.  The Nissan Leaf is poised to become the mos
Hawaii to use cold ocean water for A/C
Joining Toronto and Stockholm, Hawaii is soon going to be cooled by cold water from the depths of the ocean.  Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning LLC
Wind farm in Utah goes live 203MW
Utah just went live with their largest wind farm yet, 203MW of clean pollution free electricity is now being generated in the first phase of what will
Saharan solar farms to power Europe?
12 companies forming the Desertec Industrial Initiative have put together a $555 billion (yes, billion with a 'b') idea to supply 15% of the total pow
Portlands Bike Plan to 2030
From October 5th to November 8th drop by the Portland Bureau of Transportation to give your two cents on the bike plan for 2030.  Portland started it
Worlds Largest Offshore Windfarm
Denmark has just christened their newest environmental feat.  A massive 209 MW offshore windfarm 30 km off the coast of Jutland (in the North Sea). 
Green Sprouts Organic Baby Fest Sept. 26
Calling all parents (and parents-to-be)! Get informed and entertained at Green Sprouts Baby Fest, set for Saturday, September 26 at Peninsula Park.
The 20 on Hawthorne
SE 20th and Hawthorne is now host to "The 20 on Hawthorne" a 51 unit complex of LEED silver certified homes.  The homes feature energy efficient ligh
1.5 Gigawatt Wind Farm in China
Jiuquan city in the Gansu province of China will be getting 500 megawatts of wind power this year, with another gigawatt to come shortly after.  
Nena Baker, author of The Body Toxic, To Speak at Powells Thurs, 8/20
Investigative journalist Nena Baker, author of The Body Toxic: How the Hazardous Chemistry of Everyday Things Threatens Our Health and Wellbeing, will
Solar Powered Food for the Masses in India
Shridi, India just completed the worlds largest solar powered cooking system.  India has the top 2 largest solar powered cooking systems in the world
Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone is only half expected size
Poor agricultural practices and monoculture on cropland cause a nutrient depletion in the soil, which we fix using commercial fertilizers.  Unfortuna
Cornell Farms
 Cornell Farms is my favorite garden supply store in Portland.  The expansive set of greenhouses spreads over the impressive area the farm covers.  Y
Metro South Station: Recycling Center
 2001 Washington St., Oregon City 97045 503-234-3000 Summer hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily March 1-Sept. 30 Fall/winter hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. dai
Metro Central Station: Recycling Center
6161 NW 61st Ave Portland, OR 97210 503-234-3000 March 1-Sept. 30
Summer hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Oct. 1-Feb. 28 (Feb. 29 in leap year
Portland Recycling Center
 2005 N Rosa Parks Way, Portland, OR 97217 503-228-5375
New PDX airport sewage treating lobby
Living Machine is helping build the new Port of Portland administrative headquarters next to the airport, which will also serve as an atrium for arriv
Largest Solar Power Facility in the US (Austin, TX)
Recently approved and construction is moving forward on the new largest solar power facility in the United States outside of Austin, Texas.  Austin E
Clean Water Services Field Operation Center
Clean Water Services is a utility serving a large portion of the Portland metro area designed and operated for the sole purpose of protecting the Tual
School Air Quality Concerns in NW Portland
 Some recent air quality concerns have arisen with residents of Northwest Portland.  USA Today ran a report in December of 2008 called "The Smokestack
Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
 I love living in a city where we actually have a department for sustainability.  Portland merged the departments of Planning and Sustainability in Ja
Globe Hotel renovation in Chinatown
Portland, OR: The Globe Hotel or the "Import Plaza" is going to be remodeled completely bringing the building up to a LEED Gold standard certification
Wind power from electrical towers
Here is a brilliant idea from a French design group that uses existing electrical towers in order to generate, well, more power.  The large metal ele
Vertical Farm in Vancouver, BC
Vancouver, BC, in an effort to become the most sustainable city in the world held the "FormShift Vancouver" Competition which sought ideas to improve
Bomb the Deserts
The deserts of the world are growing.  The process of desertification is quickly taking hold of once good land that supported plant life.  Desertifi