1. Assessing the Options

2. The Potential of Purified Recycled Water

Recently I heard a California water expert call for a "local water movement." He likened this potential new trend to the "local food" movement which offers an alternative to the large scale corporate food industry. How many of us now look for "locally grown" produce at our grocery stores, or buy a weekly supply of fruits and veggies from the farmer's market or farm stand in our town?

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“Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself.”

However, in San Diego County, approximately 55% of all residential water use goes towards outdoor landscaping.  Unfortunately, in many cases, that landscaping is lush with non-native plant species that require significant amounts of water to thrive.  Given the long-term challenges to our water supply, we need to continue to look for every potential solution that will help our region achieve the dual goals of a reliable, clean water supply and an excellent quality of life. Fortunately, many of the solutions are “home grown” and it’s just a matter of tapping into native, local resources, which a number of communities have already done. 

RETECH 2010 took place Feb 3-5, 2010 in Washington, D.C. and was a who’s who of those highly involved in revolutionizing energy as we have known it.  The conference was organized by the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) and provided  a platform for over 250 industry-leading speakers to share their knowledge and insights with attendees on each of the key technologies (wind, solar, hydro, ocean, geothermal, and biomass/ biofuels/ waste energy), plus cross-cutting sessions on markets, finance and policy. Attendees included industry, government, scientific, and policy leaders to help lay the foundation for the transformation of America that will increase energy security, combat climate change, and provide economic growth and jobs.

Renewable Energy (RE) is being compared to the Information Technology boom that surrounded the internet.  As Carol Browner, Advisor to President Obama for Climate and Energy, explained in her speech at RETECH, “This is our generation’s shot to the moon” – meaning, the country that leads in clean energy technology will lead the 21^st century. 

PACE financing has the capacity to be transformative: property owners realize immediate savings on their utility bills with minimal money down; local green jobs are created through   increased demand for retrofitting goods and services; and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are dramatically reduced. With America’s building stock responsible for approximately 40 percent of its demand for energy, these kinds of improvements have the potential to get us significantly closer to our GHG reduction targets.  Recognizing the potential of this model, Scientific American magazine recently named PACE one of the top 20 ideas that can change the world.

States around the country are recognizing the potential of PACE. Over the past 18 months, 16 states have adopted legislative changes to allow municipalities to use property taxes as a vehicle for private property improvements of this kind. In California, PACE financing can even be used for water conservation improvements. While many states and municipalities are just beginning the process of designing   their programs, several cities and counties around the country   already offer PACE financing to their residents, or are well on their way.

On a daily basis, Equinox Center is asked for the latest on sustainability: What is our water use? Will we have enough energy? How fast is the ocean rising?

However, I am sometimes asked “What do you mean by vibrant communities?”

And I must admit, it is the facet of our work that focuses on community that I find to be the most pressing and the most compelling.

The second annual MTS Kick Gas Festival presented by Julian Hard Cider is scheduled to kick-off at 11:00 am at Qualcomm Stadium on Saturday, October 24.

The system will allow homeowners to have better control over when their appliances are using (purchasing) electricity and will also create new, green jobs in the region.

For Solar Week, Equinox Center staff member Kirby Brady had the chance to attend CCSE's Commercial Solar Bus Tour. Here you can read more about her experience and learn about a few innovative solar projects up and running in San Diego County.

Sony Electronics and San Diego Gas and Electric opened a new “green” building Tuesday featuring solar panels that give renewable energy back to the electrical grid.