Oct 02 2009

The Green Seen

Posted by: Leonard Anderson

Several items relating to the business and technology of clean energy and the environment caught our attention this week:

San Francisco may install dozens of wind turbines to help the city achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Wind turbines could be built in Golden Gate Park, on Twin Peaks, the Civic Center, Ocean Beach and other locations to help educate residents about the renewable energy source. A city wind power task force recommends developing a wind map to indentify the best sites. Other big cities also are eyeing wind programs. Boston has turbines at Logan Airport and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has talked about installing them on skyscrapers.

A partnership between the California Department of Education and PG&E has selected Berkeley High School to establish a New Energy Academy within the school to help prepare students for the growing field of green energy. The Academy will include math, science, technology and engineering in addition to other subjects. The new program will also be offered at Edison High School in Fresno, Foothill High School in Sacramento, Independence  High School in Bakersfield and Venture Academy in Stockton. The utility industry also could benefit from the program. Forty percent of PG&E's 20,000 employees are eligible to retire within the next five years, and it wants to make sure it will be able to replace those workers.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a real bear on energy conservation at home. "I have major fights with my kids," he said in a recent talk. Recalling his experience growing up in Austria after World War II, he said everyone was careful to save electricity and water. His children, however, like to take 15-minute showers. So he warned if they showered beyond five minutes, they will be grounded. His final penalty: if they sneak past the deadline, the governor promises to install a device which only allows you to shower for five minutes and then it turns off automatically. Listen to Dad!

 

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