City of Houston launching electric vehicle pilot project
November 18th, 2009
From Green Right Now Reports
The City of Houston and Reliant Energy are launching a program to bring plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to the streets of Houston, to demonstrate the important role that electric cars can play in the city’s clean energy future.
Under the program, called the “Power of the Plug-In,” 10 city-owned Toyota Prius cars will be converted to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and 10 vehicle-charging stations will be installed to power them. The Power of the Plug-In is designed to raise consumer awareness and education about plug-in electric cars and to promote Houston and Texas as an electric vehicle center. Seven of the 10 stations will be available to the public, representing the largest public charging infrastructure in Texas, the city said.
“We’re committed to making Houston the nation’s green energy capital,” Houston Mayor Bill White said in a statement. “That commitment begins at City Hall and these clean-running electric cars and the charging stations that will be available to all Houstonians will get us farther down that road.”
Related Topics: · ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations, Coulomb Technologies Inc., Electric vehicles, Houston Mayor Bill White, Power of the Plug-In, Reliant Energy, Reliant Energy President Jason Few, Texas, The City of Houston
Hollywood producers looking for a hit with green ways
November 17th, 2009
By Ashley Phillips
Green Right Now
Hollywood’s feature films are greening up their productions thanks to the Producers Guild of America (PGA) Green Committee. Founded in 2008, the committee is reaching out to productions worldwide, reducing their carbon footprint and leading the industry in the fight against climate change. They are replanting trees, keeping Styrofoam out of their catering services, and recycling costumes, paints, props and fabrics.
Related Topics: · green living, green practices, Habitat for Humanity, LEED houses, less consumption, Los Angeles, Plastic bottles, Producers Guild of America Green Committee, sustainability
America Recycles Day
November 13th, 2009
By Ashley Phillips
Green Right Now
This Sunday, Nov. 15, is America Recycles Day, a nationwide initiative by Keep America Beautiful and the National Recycling Coalition. In its 12th year, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to not only recycle, but buy recyclable products. There is more garbage goi
ng into landfills now than ever before. Recycling can not only slow climate change, but preserve and protect the environment around us. Everyone has the ability to do their part.
“The purpose of America Recycles Day is to continue to promote the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling and encourage more people to join the movement toward creating a better natural environment,” states their website.
Related Topics: · America Recycles Day, Keep America Beautiful, National Recycling Coalition
‘No Drugs Down the Drain’ week in LA fights pharmaceutical pollution
November 6th, 2009
From Green Right Now Reports
California American Water has designated the week of Nov. 9 as “No Drugs Down the Drain” Week in its Los Angeles service area as part of a national campaign to reduce pharmaceutical pollution in water supplies. Items such as aspirin, prescription drugs and other medications should never be thrown down the drain or toilet, where they can seep into the ground and find their way back into the public water supply.
Los Angeles County residents will be encouraged to contact the County of Los Angeles’ Department of Public Works at 888-253-2652 or visit www.888cleanla.com to find out where they can drop off expired or unwanted pharmaceuticals and other household items free of charge.
California American Water also will sponsor the “No Drugs Down the Drain” outreach campaign in San Diego and Ventura.
Related Topics: · Los Angeles County, No Drugs Down the Drain, Pharmaceutical pollution
Washington in a lather as Kerry-Boxer climate bill passes out of committee
November 5th, 2009
By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now
Today, environmentalists, climate change activists and Americans who want legislation to control carbon pollution were cheered to see climate action take another step forward.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed the Clean Energy Jobs for American Power Act, meaning the full Senate will now get to debate the bill which aims to put America on a clean energy path.
Related Topics: · Barbara Boxer, Clean Energy Jobs for American Power Act, climate legislation, curbing greenhouse gases, John Kerry, US Senate
Climate expert James Hansen to join sleep outs in Boston
November 5th, 2009
Green Right Now Reports
Dr. James Hansen, the NASA scientist known for sounding an early alarm about climate change, will join student protesters at a “sleep out” in Boston this weekend.
The students, from Boston-area and other Massachusetts colleges, have been sleeping out on Boston Common and at various campuses to push the state to pass a law committing to clean energy. Their target goal: Have Massachusetts pledge to be using 100 percent clean energy by 2020.
Related Topics: · Boston, clean energy, Climate Change, Dr. James Hansen, Massachusetts, sleep outs to protest
Gleaning crews put sustainability into action, feeding those in need
November 4th, 2009
Fact: America has an abundance of food.
Question: So why does anyone go hungry in this country?

A potato gleaning in Virginia (Photo: Society of St. Andrew)
Armed with this simple thought, the Society of St. Andrew (SOSA) took up the cause of feeding the hungry in 1979 with the idea of gleaning fields for salvageable produce.
“We do this in two says,” says Carol Breitinger, communications director. “We use volunteers in the field for hands-on gleaning, or we send out trucks to pick up surplus crops that farmers can’t use and would just end up in the landfill.”
Related Topics: · excess grocery store produce, food banks, food reclamation, food waste, gleaning, gleaning fields, North Carolina, North Texas Food Bank, public service, saving leftover food, Society of St. Andrew, surplus crops, Texas, USDA, Virginia
Second Nature launches website to help colleges build greener
November 4th, 2009
By Ashley Phillips
Green Right Now
Second Nature, a nonprofit organization promoting sustainability in higher education, launched the Advancing Green Building in Higher Education initiative earlier this year to help under-resourced higher education institutions with a $1.2 million grant from the Kresge Foundation.![]()
Today, Second Nature launched the Campus Green Builder, a part of the initiative, to help all schools further their sustainability plans. The program recognizes that colleges and universities are in a unique position to influence the future, as they shape the minds of tomorrow, and also that they are large consumers of resources. While many institutions have already formed sustainable committees, there are still many more in the initial stages.
Related Topics: · Campus Green Builder, green building on campuses, Second Nature, sustainability on college campuses
Kimberly-Clark, TerraCycle partner to cut waste and support schools and non-profits
November 2nd, 2009
From Green Right Now Reports
Kimberly-Clark Corp. and upcycling firm TerraCycle today announced they will partner on a program to enhance the sustainability performance of some of K-C’s product packaging. The new program also will create fundraising programs that benefit schools and communities nationwide.
The new program allows participants to earn funds for their selected charity of choice for every used piece of plastic packaging associated with Scott or Huggies brands that they collect. The collected plastic packaging will be upcycled into affordable, high-quality products available next year at major retailers nationwide, the companies said.
Related Topics: · Kimberly-Clark Corp., TerraCycle
Bay Area will again battle pollution with winter ‘Spare the Air’ rules
October 30th, 2009
From Green Right Now Reports
In an effort to protect public health, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District will open the Winter Spare the Air season on Sunday, Nov. 1, and begin enforcing a regulation that restricts wood burning in the Bay Area through Feb. 28, 2010.
Wood smoke is the largest source of wintertime air pollution in the Bay Area. Certain weather conditions in the wintertime cause the air to remain still. When these conditions occur, the Bay Area Air District calls a Winter Spare the Air Alert.
Related Topics: · Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Spare the Air season
World religions launch a global green initiative
October 29th, 2009
By Ashley Phillips
Green Right Now
For centuries, different religions have argued about many issues and even gone to war over some of them. Next week however, they will put it all aside and come together for a common cause — sustainability.
On Monday, Nov. 2, a group of 200 religious leaders from all around the world [...]
Related Topics: · Many Heavens, One Earth: Faith Commitments for a Living Planet
Three new ‘eco-homes’ win design contest in Greensburg
October 29th, 2009
By Ashley Phillips
Green Right Now
The town of Greensburg, Kansas was destroyed after a tornado ripped through their community in May of 2007, but it is not only coming back stronger than before, but much greener.
One project currently taking place in Greensburg is the Chain of Eco-Homes. When completed, 12 homes will serve as a “living laboratory” for unique environmental building. Two Eco-Homes already exist, Silo Eco-Home, equipped with a vegetable garden green roof, and Solar Eco-Home, the winner of the 2005 Solar Decathlon Competition and donation from the University of Colorado.
Related Topics: · Chain of Eco-Homes, Daniel Day, energy-efficient homes in Greensburg, FreeGreen.com, green architecture and design, green building contest, green building in Greensburg, Greensburg, Greensburg GreenTown, Kansas, Steven Learner Studio, Stuttio Workshop




