Oasis Montana Spring 2007
Newsletter
page 4 - RE News Bites
Renewable Energy News Bites:
Valentine’s Day chocolates and flowers sound so romantic...but did
you know most chocolate comes from the Ivory Coast of Africa, where
workers are enslaved (and CEOs in this country makes millions off of
their labor)? And the cut flower industry is most often based in
South American countries, where children labor for next to nothing
and are exposed to many dangerous pesticides? Seek more information
about safe, free trade alternatives at
http://www.organicconsumers.org/valentines/index.cfm
Trying to live sustainably can be an overwhelming proposition —but
you can find a lot of green ideas about decreasing your business and
home’s environmental footprint at
http://www.nrdcaction.org/subscribetgl.html;
their e-zine subscription is free, and filled with creative
solutions for living cleaner and with less negative impact. With
nearly 7 billion people in the world, it’s something we should all
favor!
If it takes a gallon of gas or diesel to make 1.3 gallons of
corn-based ethanol, is it really a good idea? What is the real cost
of corn-based ethanol? Will we soon be choosing between food or
gassing our vehicles? Check out this interesting article at
http://www.evworld.com/view.cfm?page=article&storyid=1188
Is your refrigerator running efficiently? Appliances use up about
20% of the average home’s electricity; replacing older energy hogs
with newer, more efficient appliances is a good way to minimize your
home’s environmental impact. To see our ConServ energy efficient
fridges with a foot print of 2' x 2' click
here and be sure to visit
http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/
for ideas to improve individual appliances’ efficiencies.
German farmers, homeowners and industrialists set a world record for
renewable energy developments in 2006; the country has an
electricity ‘feed law’ which pays the investors in RE a fair price
for their clean electricity; this has lead to the Germans leading
the world in development of solar, wind and biomass technologies
that contribute to and help de-centralize their grid power system.
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47322 for
more on that story.
Fuel for your automobile from algae? A company called PetroSun, Inc.
is finishing the final testing stage of the prototype ’algae paste’
in Phoenix, AZ, where the company is headquartered; future
facilities are planned in NM, CA, MI and LA. For more information,
see
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47316
While the debate for or against global warming still rages, there’s
no doubt something funny is up with the weather (and that globally,
the temps continue to rise); if you are constantly haranguing with
global warming skeptics, find fuel for your points of view at
http://gristmill.grist.org/skeptics
Will the state of Washington’s demand for biodiesel ruin Skagit
County’s century old seed industry? It appears that growing lots of
oil-rich canola seeds has problems of its own; the seed crosses with
many locally grown crops and renders their seed unfit for use. Read
the article at
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/304510_canola21.html
Is the meat you eat cranking up the heat? According to to the
Organic Consumer’s Association, the effects of raising, watering,
feeding, slaughter, and transportation of livestock as meat takes up
70% of agricultural land, and tremendously affects emissions like
carbon dioxide and methane, and also contributes to poor water
quality throughout the world. For an eye-opening article and
perspective, visit
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_3853.cfm
MUNDANE FACTS OF LIFE—like mailing
costs—are a real factor in a business’s operating
expense. It’s so time consuming and costly just to put
together a flier like this.
This is a picture of our Stevensville office trying to
get our spring 2007 flier out the door. It is a
major effort for us as we do everything by hand and when
we say our email list is all maintained in-house and we
don't share it with anyone else - we mean it!
Don't be afraid to join our e-mail list to get the
latest on Renewable Energy information. We don't
overload your in-box, probably less then 5 e-mailings a
year. So, we’re trying to do
regular (well, every 3 to 4 months) e-mails to folks
interested in renewable energy technologies and
efficient products. It saves paper, labor and postage.
So if you’re on line,
subscribe to our EMAIL LIST
here.
Sometimes we have a great deal to offer, or just some
good RE news to pass on. We do not sell or share our
(small, hand-maintained) list with anyone. Contact us at
info@oasismontana.com. This newsletter is available as an
online version — the same except the links work! If we
have a new product or news, this may be your only
notification. |
ACTION ALERT:
Click on this link to contact your congressperson and support pro-solar bills that will positively affect America's clean energy future:
http://capwiz.com/re-action/issues/alert/?alertid=9328091
If you want cheaper solar for your home or business, please take the small amount of time it takes to click and send an e-mail. Your friends in the renewable energy industry will be grateful!
|
Quotable Quotes:
“If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would
be that of an expert saying it can’t be done.” —Peter Ustinov
“Give to my people plenty of beer, good beer and cheap beer, and you
will have no revolution among them.” —Queen Victoria
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we
give.”
—Winston Churchill
“Vote for the man who promises the least; he’ll be the least
disappointing.”
—Bernard Baruch
“I don’t mind what Congress does, as long as they don’t do it in the
streets and frighten the horses.” —Victor Hugo
“It is very strange that the years teach us patience—that the
shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.” —Elizabeth
Taylor
“Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially
denied.” —Otto Von Bismark
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will
flow into you as sunshine flows into the trees. The winds will blow
their own freshness into you...while cares will drop off like autumn
leaves.” —John Muir
“It sometimes happens, even in the best of families, that a baby is
born. This is not necessarily a cause for alarm. The important thing
is to keep your wits about you, and borrow some money.” —Elinor
Goulding Smith
“Every one of us can do something to protect and care for our
planet. We should live in such a way that makes a future possible.”
—Thich Nhat That
“90% of politicians give the other 10% a bad name.” —Henry Kissinger
“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary
act.” —George Orwell
“A little madness in the spring is wholesome even for the King.”
—Emily Dickinson
“The first day of spring was once the time for taking the young
virgins into the fields, there in dalliance to set an example in
fertility for nature to follow. Now we just set the clocks an hour
ahead and change the oil in the crankcase.” —E.B. White
“In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our
decisions on the next seven generations.” From The Great Law Of The
Iroquois Confederacy
“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of
slush.” —Doug Larson |
