The Solangelist Up On The Roof

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Solangelist in yellow hardhat with fellow GRID Alt volunteers

On Monday and Tuesday of last week the Reverend Ron and I were in El Cajon, California working on our first volunteer solar install with our new friends from GRID Alternatives.  It was even more fun and more enriching than I imagined it would be.  And I learned more than I thought I could in just 48 hours.  That’s thanks to the truly expert advice I got from our GRID team leaders.

I’m looking forward to writing all about it and some of what I learned.  But until I get the time later this week to give you all the Greenius details and flavor of the gig, here’s the report from Miguel Reza of GRID Alt from their web site.  That’s Miguel there on the roof wearing the red shirt and the orange hard hat – a daring fashion choice, but he makes it work.

GRID Alternatives San Diego Accomplishes First “Complete” Install

By Miguel Reza –  04/16/2009 – 3:15pm

It was a first for many staff and volunteers in San Diego. But, it sure won’t be the last. On April 13 and 14, GRID Alternatives took a crack at their first full install in the City of El Cajon about 20 minutes east of downtown San Diego.


The Greenius Goes Into Overdrive

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The Greenius in Yosemite

As the climate change crisis goes from bad to worse (while the deniers get nuttier and more cult-like with each passing day) and Australia gives Californians an advanced sneak preview at what is without a doubt headed our way sooner than you expect, your Creative Greenius has only gotten more Fired Up, Ready to Go!

That’s right my friends, while others are cutting back, downsizing, slowing down and pulling back, your Creative Greenius is not only Ready to Go, I’m already going, baby, and I’m moving at Obama speed.

So buckle up and hang on while I take you for a little trip with the Greenius to the places I’ve been and the places I’m going…

Torrance Enviro Commish – From Curious to CringeWorthy

The most recognizeable symbol of Torrance Environmental Quality
The most recognizable symbol of Torrance Environmental Quality

I spent another two and a half hours last night (time, like my 401k I’ll never get back) in the always delightful West Wing Commission Room attending the monthly Torrance Environmental Quality and Energy Saving Commission meeting.

My friends, let me tell you right now that we’ve got trouble.

clueless-excuseOh we got trouble,
Right here in Torrance!
With a capital “T”
That rhymes with “C”
And that stands for Clueless…

Come on, sing along with me after the jump –

Greenius Is Fired Up Over Obama’s Green Economic Recovery Bill!

environmental-progress-399-x-695President Obama Steps Up To Save The Economy & The Climate While Republicans No Longer Relevant

I wholeheartedly applaud, support and endorse President Barack Obama’s signing of the $787 billion economic recovery bill just moments ago.  I cheer his rapid action less than a month after taking office to start getting us out of the Bush Depression – both literally and figuratively.

This bill is not only the most sweeping economic recovery package in our nation’s history, it’s also the greenest.

Fortunately for all of us, climate change guru, Joe Romm of Climate Progress, has already done the heavy lifting and outlined just how green and positive this new bill is.  Read:

Here’s What’s Green In It

The Curious Case of the Torrance Enivornmental Commission

scoop1I attended the first 2009 meeting of the Torrance Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commission last Thursday night and it was curiously different from anything I expected.

First of all, I was the only member of the public who attended the meeting. Secondly, the energy level, enthusiasm and sense of urgency I’ve experienced at other environmental meetings was nowhere to be found among the Commissioners. Maybe they all wished they were watching the Lakers-Celtics game that night instead…

Your Greenius already knew the Lakers would beat down Boston, so my focus was fixed on what was going down in the room.

Wising Up About Energy Use

efficient-homeYour Creative Greenius has been working hard around my home and office to cut my needless electricity use.  Not only do I power down my computers at night, but I now have four different power strips that get shut off too.  The difference that’s made in cutting my “phantom energy use” has been serious in cutting my bill from SCE, not to mention my personal carbon footprint.

I also spend time volunteering for the South Bay Environmental Services Center in which I try to spread the energy savings and conservation message to everyone I come in contact with.  All intelligent people know that if we practiced energy efficiency seriously in the United States we could save billions and billions of dollars and cut our greenhouse gas emissions by huge amounts.  If you hear someone arguing against conservation and efficiency you know you’re talking to someone who is easily proven wrong.

But what if we each knew exactly how much energy every electrical appliance we plug into our wall sockets actually used? And what if we knew exactly how much each appliance cost us?  Think you might use that knowledge and your lizard brain and start to use your electricity more wisely?   Is it possible you could actually practice some cognitive behavior?  Maybe you can’t do that in your personal relationships, but I bet you can if it saves you money on your electric bill.

Manhattan Beach, The South Bay’s Greenest City

obama-is-new-green Happy New Year!

I hope you’re as happy and energized as I am about Obama’s impending Presidency and his game-changing energy and environmental appointments. If you’re not, then you’re probably part of the problems we’ve been having and your unhappiness is something I can live with.

The Creative Greenius says you can now expect a bold United States policy on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, a rapid shift away from carbon-based fuels to renewables and a science-based approach to water policy and other critical resources.  In fact, you can bank on our country  following the green lead that’s been set here in California.  And again, if that bugs you – so much the better.  Change is but mere weeks away.

It’s all coming eight years later than it should, but the Climate Change Calvary has now arrived and they’re riding hard and fast.

More about what all that means to you, and your family and your job to come in our next Creative Greenius post, but first let me tell you what’s happening in Manhattan Beach, California just a few miles up Pacific Coast Highway from my home.