'Freedom' From Oil by Embracing Ethanol

The ethanol and solar-powered bus filmmakers Rebecca and Josh Tickell drove around with on their 40-city 'Freedom' film tour that culminated last Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

Husband and wife filmmaking team Rebecca and Josh Tickell are winning over skeptical audiences across the country and sending a powerful message to decision makers in Washington about the urgent need to end America's destructive addiction to imported oil by embracing homegrown biofuels, especially ethanol.

Of course, it helps to have a retired four star general and former NATO commander on your side.

Last Wednesday the Sundance Award-winning producers of the movie "Fuel" rolled into Washington, D.C. on the final stop of their 40-city bus tour to promote their new film, "Freedom," about an American biofuels revolution to replace oil with ethanol. General Wesley Clark joined the filmmakers at an afternoon press conference in Georgetown and later that night at a post-screening discussion held at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The bus is powered by an E85 ethanol fuel blend (85% ethanol) and solar panels.

"I'm a big believer in ethanol," said Clark. "Biofuels are our technology. It keeps money and jobs inside of America, reduces greenhouse gases and reduces gas prices."

Left to right: Biomass Coordinating Council Chairman Bill Holmberg, 'Freedom' filmmakers Rebecca and Josh Tickell and retired Four Star General and former NATO Commander Wesley Clark.

Clark said he "can't help but become a missionary" for investing in and producing American-made biofuels. He said he will do everything in his power to raise public appreciation of this issue and inject it into the 2012 presidential campaign because "it's absolutely vital to the future of America."  

And Clark backs up his assertions with astounding statistics about the catastrophic consequences of our addiction to oil.

$300 billion: The amount of money we pay annually to import oil. That's $1,000 per every man, woman and child in America that is subtracted right from our GDP. That's in addition to the $150 billion a year we pay to secure foreign oil resources. In a decade that $300 billion adds up to $3 trillion and $1 trillion in tax revenue if it was instead invested domestically.

8 million: The American jobs that would be created every year if we stopped paying $300 billion to import oil and instead re-circulated that money into the American economy.

6,000: The estimated number of U.S. combat casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

35,000: The estimated number of wounded soldiers from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

$1.5 trillion: The amount of money spent and committed to fighting these two wars.

$2 trillion: VA expenses we will pay for these wounded soldiers for the rest of their lives.

For the Tickells, ending our oil addiction and embracing biofuels is not just about number crunching, it is personal. While filming another movie called "The Big Fix" about the Gulf Coast Oil Disaster, oil got into Rebecca's skin and made her seriously sick. She now must avoid direct sunlight for the rest of her life thanks to her exposure to oil. And yet, she and her husband remain hopeful despite the seemingly insurmountable odds against the largest industry in the world.

"I don't think I've ever had a more clear delineation of the two futures that we have before us as Americans," said Josh Tickell in his closing remarks. "One of those futures is the future in which because we are a country that has so far passed peak oil, we are so desperate for liquid energy, that we are willing to sacrifice the sanctity of the future of our country. It will leave this nation scarred and forever altered. 

The other future has to do with using processes that mimic nature. What we found in making this movie is that the ethanol industry is imperfect. But it's here now and it's a start. And if we follow that climb forward into the future what we will eventually see is hemp and algae (and other second generation biofuels). 

But if we do nothing, which is largely what we are doing now as a nation, largely what Washington, D.C. is doing right now, we can expect a future that is a nightmare. So we can't do the same thing and expect different results. We are going to have to change our behavior. We are going to have to change our laws. And it is uncomfortable to some degree because we are going to have to give way on some of the environmental purism that we've had and that's a big challenge. But the challenge and the choice is yours, and when you have true choice you have freedom."

Here is video of Clark speaking about the urgent need to replace oil with alternative energy sources such as ethanol.

Steven Pearlstein: 'Death of Journalism is Overstated'

Steven Pearlstein makes a point as Angie Goff and Juan Williams look on as part of a discussion about the past, present and future of journalism at George's Restaurant on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia on Tuesday, October 25, 2011.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post columnist and George Mason University professor Steven Pearlstein sounded an optimistic tone about the future of journalism at a time when the profession is going through a massive upheaval and many are concerned about the current state of the media.

The remarks were made during a panel discussion last Tuesday afternoon at the GMU campus in Fairfax, Virginia. Pearlstein was joined on the panel by former National Public Radio and current Fox News Channel political analyst Juan Williams; and NBC Washington weekend anchor Angie Goff. The panel was moderated by former journalist and current education reform activist Kathleen deLaski.

Pearlstein talked about the golden age at the Washington Post when "publishers lavished money on the newsroom" and newspapers like the Post were not only profitable but monopolized the attention of readers. "Those days newspapers mattered a lot." The financial struggles started with the loss of the "golden egg" of classified ads thanks to Craig's List and free specialized publications.

So how do you make journalism profitable again? Pearlstein sees a future of paying two dollars a day for your content on your iPad in the morning. But that the reality of people paying for content will take another 10 to 15 years because right now "only newspapers that are comfortable with unique content are charging." 

Both Pearlstein and Williams lamented the current state of fragmentation in the media. "Advertisers and politicians value fragmentation," said Williams. And they both hope the pendulum swings back to the general audience. Otherwise, Williams fears, the future could be one of narrow self-interest in the news biz where "larger political discussions are extreme when filtered through the Internet and social media."

"There will be business realities that force the pendulum the other way because you need five million viewers to survive," said Pearlstein.

Goff is a big believer in social media if it is done in a professional way that furthers the news discussion.

"Twitter opens up trust and the relationship between the newsroom and the consumer," said Goff, adding that more stations should have a social media reporter.

Guest Post: Clever Tips to Save Money with Green Energy at Home

Mirsad Hasic, editor of the website Alternative Energy Geek, provides useful tips on how to make your home more energy efficient and save money on energy bills.

The average person spends too much money on energy bills, since the majority of people are unaware of how to make their energy usage green. Green energy does not necessarily have to come from alternative energy sources, as it could simply involve making your current energy source more efficient. For example, insulating your home can eliminate leaks, which cause you to use more energy. In the end, the less energy you use, the better it is for the environment and your bank account, so it makes sense to save as much energy as possible.

Thermostat

If using a traditional energy source, you can make it greener by installing a programmable thermostat. This allows you to pre-set the temperature that you wish to keep your home at, so you do not have to worry about any fluctuations. You can set your home to a comfortable temperature and the thermostat ensures that the house stays at that temperature throughout the day. Many people allow their homes to cool off at night, since they will be sleeping anyway. Keeping your home at a relatively consistent temperature prevents your furnace or air conditioner from having to work too hard to heat or cool the place at any time, which saves energy.

Furnace and Air Conditioner

You also have the chance to purchase a furnace or air conditioner with an Energy Star label. Energy Star furnaces come with a higher Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating, which means that they do not waste as much energy as other models. The majority of the new furnaces on the market come with a higher efficiency rating, although they are not all created equally. The best furnaces have a rating of over 90%, so they waste under 10% of the energy that they put out. While installing one of these furnaces does have startup cost, it will save you money in the long run.

Air conditioners come with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The minimum that you can currently purchase has a 13 rating, although many models have a rating of over 14. Once again, it will cost you a little bit to install a new central cooling unit, but you will save that money and then some in the long run.

Heat Pumps

If you wish to go with a different energy source within the home, electric heating is the way to go because it is much more efficient than natural gas. If you purchase a heat pump, it provides you with three times more heat than the equivalent amount of energy that it uses. This means that you get more heat for your money than you would with natural gas, making it a great way to save energy and money.

Three types of heat pumps exist, starting with air-to-air. Air-to-air pumps take warmer air from outside of your home and pump it into your home. They can also remove warm air from the home in the summer and replace it with cooler air. Water source heat pumps take heat from the water outside of your home and transfer it into warm air, while ground source pumps take heat from the ground. Whichever heat pump you choose can end up saving you 30% to 40% on your heating bill.

Solar Power

To supplement your in-home energy, you can look into using solar panels. What you do is add a few solar panels to the roof of your home, as they will store the sun's energy for you to use. In some cases, these panels can lower the cost of heating your home by more than 50%. You can also use solar energy to cool your home. Keep in mind that you must install these panels in strategic locations to get their full effect. It might be a good idea to have them professionally installed by someone who is experienced with creating efficient, green energy within the home.

Hot Water Heaters

To decrease the amount of energy needed to run your hot water heating, you should look into purchasing an Energy Star model. Although this will cost you some money to start, it will save you thousands of dollars over the years, since it can save you about 30% per month on your heating bills. It is also possible to use solar power to heat your water, which saves you ever more money. In addition, using a solar powered hot water heater eliminates more than 50 tons of potential carbon dioxide from being produced and put into the atmosphere. That amount is for a single solar powered hot water heating, so you can see how much damage can be avoided if everyone changes.

Appliances

Appliances like refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and washing machines can all be purchased with Energy Star ratings. All fridges and freezers with an Energy Star sticker use at least 20% less energy than those without the sticker. In addition, dishwashers use at least 41% less energy and washing machines use at least 50% less energy. All of these appliances have special options that can help you reduce your energy usage even further which, in turn, saves you even more money.

Saving Money at Home

In the end, you will have to pay a little bit of money upfront to make your home greener, but it brings you some long-term cost saving benefits. You can even make your existing energy source greener, as long as you choose products that make efficient use of that energy. Helping the environment, while saving yourself some money is a situation from which everyone benefits.

Author: M.H is writing for the Alternative Energy Geek where he shares his thoughts on renewable and alternative energy sources.

Photo: No Idling Sign in D.C.

Progress...

Green Traveler: Kibbutz Lahav, Israel

August 1-17, 2011 -- Despite processing pig meat and performing medical research on swine, Kibbutz Lahav in southern Israel doesn't use hog manure as a renewable energy resource to power up the place. Not yet at least. Lahav does however use solar water heaters to power homes and buildings. In fact, over 90% of Israeli homes have solar water heaters on their rooftops thanks to a 1980 law passed by the Knesset mandating that all new residential units install solar water heaters.

And since the price of gasoline in Israel is so high -- $8.33 U.S. dollars per gallon or 30.24 Israeli New Shekels (ILS) per gallon as of May -- many kibbutzniks do not own cars and instead rely on the public bus or private shuttle to make trips to nearby Beersheba.

Bicycles, motorized scooters and electric carts are popular modes of transportation around Lahav. We borrowed some bikes one Shabbat Saturday for a ride around Lahav Forest -- a man-made national park that surrounds Kibbutz Lahav. The towering pine trees of the Lahav Forest are an impressive site to see considering before 1952 the area was a desolated desert outpost. It is a living legacy to the vision and hard work the early Zionist pioneers put in to "making the desert bloom." The green revolution is nothing new to Israelis. They have been planting trees since 1948. The cultivation of the country comes from the prophet Isaiah's biblical passage that "the wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom."

Kibbutz Lahav must have a buy American clause when it comes to purchasing cars because I saw more Fords and Chevrolets there than in my entire trip around Europe. The American auto industry was recently brought back from the dead and is experiencing what is hoped to be a real revival with smaller fuel efficient and electric vehicles. It was encouraging to see that at least in Israel, people are buying American automobiles.

Click here for more observations of Kibbutz Lahav on Josh's Travel Blog.

Here are more photos from Kibbutz Lahav. Click here to see the set on Flickr.

Photos: Wind and Solar Power in Europe

A recent trip around Europe via high-speed rail revealed a landscape dotted with enormous wind turbines and solar installations. But no country on the continent has made a greater push towards renewable energy than Germany. In Germany there are residential rooftop solar installations all across the country thanks to feed-in tariffs from the German Renewable Energy Act of 2000. Besides Germany, I also saw lots of wind farms in the United Kingdom, France, Spain and other European Union nations.

Here are solar and wind photos from Germany and Spain.

EUROPE SOLAR AND WIND

GERMANY

SPAIN

Photos: Solar Power in Israel

Did you know that the United States consumes 4.40 trillion kilowatt hours of electric energy per year? That is nearly a trillion more kwh than China. Did you also know that the average American hot shower consumes 4000 watts per day? That makes hot showers the highest power activity most Americans undertake in a day. (Thanks to the website Power SuperSite for this information.)

But what happens when you live in a country where water and fossilized energy are in short supply and your oil-rich neighbors are your sworn enemies? You reclaim water, become more energy efficient and look to the sun, wind and other renewable power sources to meet your energy needs.

Welcome to Israel, where solar water heaters are used in over 90% of homes. But rooftop solar water heaters didn't just happen because Israeli citizens suddenly decided to do the right thing. After the energy crisis of the 1970s, the Knesset in 1980 passed a law requiring the installation of solar water heaters in all new homes.

More from Wikipedia:

"As of the early 1990s, all new residential buildings were required by the government to install solar water-heating systems, and Israel's National Infrastructure Ministry estimates that solar panels for water-heating satisfy 4% of the country's total energy demand. Israel and Cyprus are the per-capita leaders in the use of solar hot water systems with over 90% of homes using them.

The Ministry of National Infrastructures estimates solar water heating saves Israel 2 million barrels of oil a year."

Here are photos of solar water heaters in Israel.

ISRAEL SOLAR WATER HEATERS

KIBBUTZ LAHAV

MITZPE RAMON

JERUSALEM

Photos: Occupy DC Turns into Tent City

This past summer I saw tent city protests all over Israel. These mostly young Israelis pitched tents to protest the high housing costs and lack of affordable housing in Israel. Voluntarily living in tents was a powerful symbolic demonstration. Well, the tent cities have come to our shores, at least in Washington, D.C. as part of the Occupy DC branch of the larger Occupy Wall Street movement. But these tents are for more practical purposes -- to protect the growing community of the hunkered-down demonstrators in McPherson Square from the rain and harsh elements as cool fall weather settles in and winter will bring the cold and snow to the nation's capital.

Here are recent photos.