EASY WAYS TO GREEN YOUR PROPERTY

August 23, 2010 on 12:53 am | In Act Locally, Green Building, Green Houses, Solutions, Uncategorized, all | 3 Comments

Edited by Jodi Summers

Thanks to the Green Building Update for these easy tips for greening your property and saving money on your utility bills.

1. Use light paint colors for the property’s exterior. Lighter colors reflect heat better than darker colors.

2. Insulate the attic, basement and crawl spaces of your property. Around 20% of energy costs come from heat loss in those areas.

3. Reuse old materials such as brick, stone, glass, slate and wood when building or renovating.

4. Keep doors airtight by weather stripping, caulking, and painting them regularly.

5. Have an energy audit done by your utility company or visit Energy Saver (http://hes.lbl.gov).

**

http://ecodeonline.com/

http://www.allenmatkins.com/emails/nltr-green/newsletter.asp?is_id=87&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.allenmatkins.com%2femails%2fnltr-green%2fnewsletter.asp%3fis_id%3d87&utm_content=jodi%40jodisummers.com&utm_campaign=Green+Building+Update+-+May+21%2c+2010

SEE…DOE…HUD…DOT…EPA…NGA… IS BIG BROTHER WATCHING? SOCIALIZING URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

August 10, 2010 on 12:19 am | In Curious, Green Cities, Green Houses, Green Workplace, Greenhouse Gas, U.S. Government, Uncategorized, all, conservation | 2 Comments

By Jodi Summers

Loyal readers of this blog are well aware that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) are working together in hopes of helping American families gain better access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs by creating affordable, sustainable communities.

Taking further steps in that direction, more government agencies are getting involved to attempt to make our new millennium existence easier all around. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have formed the State Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network to help states achieve the maximum cost-effective energy efficiency improvements possible in offices, buildings, industries and homes by 2020.

SEE…DOE…HUD…DOT…EPA…that’s a lot of government agencies making sure cities develop in the “proper” manner…socialized urban growth.

But, oops we wander, back to SEE…under the oversight of the EPA and the DOE, SEE will work with representatives from state and municipal governments, business leaders, public utility commissioners and others to make life in this country of energy efficiency for all.

The group plans to work from the framework set by the National Action Plan for Energy

Efficiency Vision for 2025, which was laid out in 2006…only the new goal is to make it a 2020 initiative…following the model set forth by California. You know AB 32 - California’s landmark 2006 global warming initiative.

(Not only has AB 32 been adopted by the Obama Administration, the International Code Council announced the state’s newly adopted Green Building Standards Code will serve as a foundation for commercial buildings worldwide AND California participated in the launch of China’s first GHG emissions registry. When his term comes to an end in November, Arnold Schwarzenegger should follow in the steps of former Vice President Al Gore in becoming a champion for energy programs that influence national and international policies…perhaps even work warmly with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Los Angeles’ 30/10 initiative…ah but we dream….)

SEE will offer technical assistance, and help with specific policy and program issues to advance energy efficiency efforts. Efforts may include financing solutions, residential efficiency programs and improving availability of energy usage information, etc…

Already the DOE and EPA have a request list that includes 32 state public utility commissions wanting assistance with energy efficiency programs.

SEE…DOE…HUD…DOT…EPA…and don’t forget the NGA…the National Governors Association is another national agency championing states with energy efficiency efforts.

Earlier this year, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices selected six states - Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin - to participate in the organization’s Policy Academy on State Building Efficiency Retrofit Programs.

The academy, funded by the DOE (you remember them, working with DOT among other liaisons…), is designed to help states develop strategies and action plans to improve the energy efficiency of existing building and reduce costs and emissions.

SEE…DOE…HUD…DOT…EPA…NGA… is Big Brother is watching?

**

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2257243/agencies-action-buildings

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/?p=691

http://www.socalindustrialrealestateblog.com/?p=434

http://www.santamonicapropertyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/department-of-transportation.jpg

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/hud-300×300.gif

http://watersecretsblog.com/archives/epa_seal.gif

http://management.energy.gov/images/New_DOE_Seal_Color_042808.png

THE GOVERNMENT HAS $42 BILLION FOR GREEN REAL ESTATE

June 14, 2010 on 7:32 am | In Green Building, Green Cities, Green Houses, Green Workplace, Greenhouse Gas, Money, Solutions, U.S. Government, Uncategorized, all, conservation, the bright side | 2 Comments

By Jodi Summers

Experts have calculated that the Obama administration has put together more than 30 programs worth $72 billion that can be used to increase energy efficiency in commercial buildings and multifamily housing.

“The Obama Administration has tremendous, untapped opportunities to use legal tools already at its disposal to enhance the energy efficiency and sustainability of the nation’s multifamily and commercial buildings — all without seeking new funds or authority from Congress,” observes a report prepared by Van Ness Feldman. “All told, the programs identified in this report have the potential to directly provide or facilitate over $72 billion in funding or loan guarantees, and can leverage hundreds of billions of dollars in private investment through instruments such as mortgage insurance and regulation of the real estate lending market.”

Titled “Using Executive Authority to Achieve Greener Buildings: A Guide for Policymakers to Enhance Sustainability and Efficiency in Multifamily Housing and Commercial Buildings,” the legal analysis, suggests several ways the Obama administration can use existing programs to enhance building efficiency:

* Reforming appraisal and underwriting practices at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Greening federal banking regulations

* Promoting flexible FHA insurance products

* Integrating energy efficiency and sustainability criteria into competitive grants and funding formulas

* Strengthening minimum property standards for federal housing and economic development programs to reflect energy efficiency and sustainability standards

* Improving performance standards applicable to federal buildings and leases

* Refining guidance applicable to the energy efficient commercial buildings tax deduction and the national historic preservation tax credit

* Using SBA funding mechanisms to support small business energy efficiency investments

* Streamlining Title 17 loan guarantees to make them suitable for buildings

“As an early adopter of green buildings and the LEED green building certification system, the federal government has been a leader in bringing green buildings to cities and towns across America,” said Roger Platt, the USGBC’s senior vice president of Global Policy & Law declared. “This new report unveils an even larger opportunity for the Obama Administration to increase our nation’s energy efficiency, while creating thousands of jobs and saving taxpayers money.”

**

http://www.usgbc.org/government

http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/04/30/obama-already-has-72b-tap-green-buildings-study-says

http://www.boulderindependentbusiness.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/namaste_obama_0093.jpg

http://www.rechargenews.com/multimedia/archive/00032/obama_solar_3_32125a.jpg

LOS ANGELES IS AWARDED $30 MILLION FOR RETROFITTING REAL ESTATE

June 7, 2010 on 12:02 am | In Green Building, Green Cities, Green Houses, REASONS TO LOVE L.A., Trends, U.S. Government, Uncategorized, all | 7 Comments

By Jodi Summers

All the banter that Los Angeles mayor, Antonio Villiarigosa has been causing in Washington with his green / energy saving ideas for Los Angeles are paying off. Recently, Vice President Biden announced that Los Angeles County was awarded $30 million to “ramp-up” energy efficiency building retrofits.

Los Angeles was one of 25 communities selected to receive a slice of $452 million in Recovery Act funding under the Department of Energy’s Retrofit Ramp-Up Initiative. The initiative promotes the concept that communities, governments, private sector companies and non-profit organizations will work together on pioneering and innovative programs for concentrated and broad-based retrofit projects.

A simple example of how the Retrofit Ramp-Up Initiative would work would be to have the same construction crew upgrade all the homes on the same block at the same time. The White House notes that this way of doing business, “…Saves contractors time and money. They can pass the savings on to their customers. And it’s just a much more efficient way to operate.”

Biden said the program, part of $80 billion in the Recovery Act for a clean energy economy, will help consumers save money on their energy bills, lower greenhouse gas emissions and create green jobs.

The models created through this program are expected to save households and businesses about a $100 million annually in utility bills, while leveraging private sector resources, to create what funding recipients estimate at about 30,000 jobs across the country during the next three years.

“Investing in retrofits is a triple win,” Vice President Biden observed, adding the program will result in retrofits for hundreds of thousands of U.S. homes and businesses over the next three years.

“This initiative will help overcome the barriers to making energy efficiency easy and accessible to all – inconvenience, lack of information, and lack of financing,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, we will make our communities more energy efficient and help families save money. At the same time, we’ll create thousands of jobs and strengthen our economy.”

In addition to the $452 million Recovery Act investment, the 25 projects will leverage an estimated $2.8 billion from other sources over the next 3 years to retrofit hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across the country. The government noted gleefully, that the program funding was eight times oversubscribed, with more than $3.5 billion in applications received for the just over $450 million in Recovery Act funds available, (kind of like applying for UCLA). That puts it in course for additional investment in energy-saving and job-creating projects like these nationwide.

Retrofit Ramp-Up Awards

The following governments and non-profit organizations have been selected for Retrofit Ramp-Up awards. These projects are planned to begin in fall 2010. Final award amounts are subject to negotiation:

Austin, Texas - $10 million

Boulder County, Colorado - $25 million

Camden, New Jersey - $5 million

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning - $25 million

Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance, Ohio - $17 million

Greensboro, North Carolina - $5 million

Indianapolis, Indiana - $10 million

Kansas City, Missouri - $20 million

Los Angeles County, California - $30 million

Lowell, Massachusetts - $5 million

State of Maine - $30 million

State of Maryland - $20 million

State of Michigan - $30 million

State of Missouri - $5 million

Omaha, Nebraska - $10 million

State of New Hampshire - $10 million

New York State Research and Development Authority - $40 million

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - $25 million

Phoenix, Arizona - $25 million

Portland, Oregon - $20 million

San Antonio, Texas - $10 million

Seattle, Washington - $20 million

Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance - $20 million

Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, Ohio - $15 million

Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation - $20 million

**

http://www.energy.gov/news/8870.htm

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/vice-president-biden-kicks-five-days-earth-day-activities-with-announcement-major-n

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/04/white-house-awards-452-million-to-retrofit-homes-businesses/1

http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Smart-Grid-Obama.jpg

GREEN REAL ESTATE – GOOD FOR CALIFORNIA, GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY?

May 19, 2010 on 12:44 am | In Act Locally, Green Building, Green Cities, Green Houses, Greenhouse Gas, U.S. Government, Uncategorized, the bright side | 5 Comments

By Jodi Summers

Once again, when it comes to green, what’s good for California tends to become good for the country. The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy have formed an action group to help states achieve the maximum cost-effective energy efficiency improvements possible in offices, buildings, industries and homes by 2020. Dubbed the State Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network, they are seeking to create a national version our statewide CALGREEN building code.


The CALGREEN Code was devised California Building Standards Commission is setting minimum green-building criterion that may, at the discretion of any local government entity, be applied.

“You will have a whole bunch of cities that never would have included this in their building doing it, and doing it in a way that won’t kill the economy,” observes Matthew Hargrove, a vice president with the California Business Properties Association. “Outside the coastal areas it will be helpful - like in West Sacramento, where they looked into creating a green building code but balked because it’s cumbersome to develop and they didn’t have the resources.”

Take the whole bunch of cities concept and spread it across a bunch of states. The DOE and EPA noted that 32 state public utility commissions requested help from the agencies last year regarding energy efficiency programs. SEE will be working with states to provide technical assistance and policy and program issues to advance energy efficiency efforts. Those state efforts may include financing solutions, residential efficiency programs and improving availability of energy usage information.

No doubt SEE’s goals will be similar to what we set forth in California. The purpose of CALGREEN’s codes is to improve public health, safety and general welfare by enhancing the design and construction of buildings through the use of building concepts that have a positive environmental impact, and by encouraging sustainable construction practices in the following categories:

• Planning and design

• Energy efficiency

• Water efficiency and conservation

• Material conservation and resource efficiency

• Environmental air quality

As California did with CALGREEN, now SEE and other DOE programs will help states develop strategies and action plans to improve the energy efficiency of existing building and reduce costs and emissions.

One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

**

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2257243/agencies-action-buildings

http://www.socalmultiunitrealestateblog.com/?p=673

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/?p=764

http://www.hydrogenthusiast.com/uploaded_images/doe-786712-787007.gif

http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/calgreen-ed01.jpg

http://www.socalofficerealestateblog.com/wp-content/newuploads/2009/08/calgreen_code_page_01.jpg

MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING PROGRAM

April 20, 2010 on 12:21 am | In Green Houses, Home Info, Recycling, Solutions, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING PROGRAM

by the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation

edited by Jodi Summers

Here is a straight forward guide to what to recycle in the blue bins, courtesy of the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Department. Please read it, it will make you smarter.

HOW TO RECYCLE

Please rinse all cans, bottles and plastics before recycling. Crush aluminum cans to save space in the bin.

Put recyclable items into the blue recycling bin or store them in a bag or container. Do not tie or close the bag.

Empty the container or bag into the blue recycling bin. Reuse the bag or container or recycle it, if it’s recyclable.

YES – WHAT TO RECYCLE

Brown paper bags

Cans/Metal, aluminum, steel & tin

Cardboard (flattened and put next to the bin)

Cereal boxes

Colored paper

Glass bottles & containers

Magazines

Metal coat hangers

Mixed paper

Newspaper

Office paper

Plastic containers

Plastic grocery bags

Styrofoam

Unwanted mail

For a complete list of accepted items visit www.larecycles.org


NO – DON’T RECYCLE THESE THINGS

Anti-freeze

Appliances & electronics

Batteries

Broken glass

Ceramic mugs

Cleaning products

Clothing

Construction debris

Food-soiled paper (eg. pizza boxes)

Food waste

Furniture

Gardening pots

Glass mirrors

Light bulbs

Medical waste (eg. syringes, bandages, tissues, cotton swabs)

Motor oil

Paint

Pressurized cans

Trash

Waxed cardboard & paper (eg. milk cartons)

Yard trimmings

For additional program information visit the Multi-Family Residential Recycling website at www.larecycles.org or Email us at multifamily@lacity.org. Call the Hotline at 800-773-2489 or 3-1-1

THAT’S IT! IT’S EASY!

**

http://www.larecycles.org/pdf/Resorce_Card_english.pdf

GREENING BUILDINGS THE EASY WAY - THE ICC GREEN BUILDING OVERLAY

March 2, 2010 on 12:35 am | In Green Building, Green Cities, Green Houses, Home Info, LEED, Solar, Solutions, Trends, Uncategorized, Water, all, world | 5 Comments

GREENING BUILDINGS THE EASY WAY - THE ICC GREEN BUILDING OVERLAY

By Jodi Summers

More green building codes anyone? Sure, there are already several green building codes in use today - LEED, Energy Star, NAHB Green, Green Globes, BREEM and the latest, and perhaps most practical to join the crowd is ICC – the of International Code Council.

FYI, you’ve walked through hundreds of International Code Council respecting properties. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt building codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council. As the ICC already has such a huge fan base, they’ve decided to have their input into green building codes > a.k.a. IGCC.

The objective of this new project is to develop a Green Building Code for traditional and high-performance buildings that is consistent and coordinated with the ICC family of Codes and Standards.

“Congratulations on taking such an important step to ensure the creation of such a code system. We are pleased to support this effort in any way possible,” USGBC President Richard Fedrizzi stated publicly, throwing in a compliment to the Code Council for “undertaking a collaborative approach to this important work.”

A bit of insight: the International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools.

Being the progressive state that we are, California, has already adopted a green building code, which is incorporated into the template the ICC has come up with for the rest of the country.

“California continues to lead the nation and I commend the hard work of the Building Standards Commission to adopt the first-in-the-nation statewide green building standards,” proudly observed Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The objective of the ICC code will be to raise the bottom line, giving all buildings a greener baseline. LEED, in contrast, is a bolder standard, providing innovative and more challenging ways to reduce green house gas emissions, materials usage, enhance energy efficiency, and all other good green things.

An ICC green code will make politicians, building inspectors and code officials comfortable with adopting and utilizing I-Codes as the basis for building regulations. By adopting an ICC code and augmenting it with what some of the greener cities like Santa Monica, Berkeley, Sacramento and West Hollywood are doing, municipalities will not have to reinvent the code wheel when looking to implement green building practices.

Wisely, the ICC Green Building Code is an overlay that can integrate with the I-codes that already exist in most jurisdictions.

**

http://www.greenbuildinglawblog.com

http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2009/08/20/why-world-needs-another-green-building-standard

http://www.iccsafe.org/

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/?p=157

http://www.iccsafe.org/news/nr/2009/0722_USGBC.pdf

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY POLL – SOLAR RULES

January 13, 2010 on 12:53 am | In Green Building, Green Cities, Green Houses, Green Workplace, Solar, Statistics, Trends, Uncategorized, all | 3 Comments

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY POLL – SOLAR RULES

Edited by Jodi Summers

An overwhelming majority -92% of Americans polled - Support Solar Energy Development, according to the 2009 Schott Solar Barometer. The Schott Solar Barometer is a national survey conducted by independent polling firm Kelton Research.

The overwhelming support for solar power is consistent across political party affiliation with 89 percent of Republicans, 94 percent of Democrats and 93 percent of Independents agreeing that it is important for the U.S. to develop and use solar power.

Furthermore, close to eight in 10 (77%) Americans feel that the development of solar power, and other renewable energy sources, should be a major priority of the federal government, including the financial support needed. This sentiment also remains the same since June 2008 (77%).

If only given the opportunity to support one source of alternative energy, 43 percent of Americans would opt for solar over other sources such as wind (17%), natural gas (12%) and nuclear (10%).

Almost half of all Americans (49%) say they’re currently pondering solar power options for their home or business – and another three percent already have solar power. Among those who would like to take advantage of solar power at home or at work, seven in 10 (70%) envision they would make the change within the next five years.

The general consensus is that many Americans feel they lack information – fewer than one in five (12%) - can claim that they’re extremely informed about the subject of solar power in general. What’s more, almost three in four (74%) Americans admit they wish they knew more about solar power options for their home or business.

http://www.cleanedge.com/news/story.php?nID=6455

http://www.resourceactionprograms.org/blog/index.php/tag/southern-california/

http://saferenvironment.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/solar-power-%E2%80%93-sustainable-green-energy-to-protect-our-economy-and-environment/

http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/articles-renewable-energy-transmission/solar.shtml

http://www.sunandclimate.com/images/solar-power-dallas.jpg

http://www.generatormart.com/200806092224444674.shtml

http://earth911.com/blog/2007/10/15/pros-and-cons-of-solar-power/

GREEN WALLS KEEP PROPERTIES COOLER

December 2, 2009 on 12:02 am | In Green Building, Green Cities, Green Houses, Green Workplace, REASONS TO LOVE L.A., Solutions, Trends, Uncategorized, all | 8 Comments

GREEN WALLS KEEP PROPERTIES COOLER

By Jodi Summers

We discussed green roofs, now let’s cover green walls. Covered in vegetation, green walls can be 25% cooler than regular building walls in summer, remove air pollutants, and they look great.

Historically speaking, green walls aren’t exactly a new idea: The Romans planted grape vines along building walls, resulting in faster growing and sweeter grapes for wine. The structures are also prevalent in Europe, where modern-day green roofs first took off.

What the ancient Romans devised is now be adapted for 21st century applications. Steven Peck, president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, a Toronto industry association, observes that interest in green walls is growing, estimating that green roof installations have increased at about 30 percent a year over five years.

Locally, the Rainbow Apartments off San Julian Street in the heart of skid row has a 34-foot-long vegetable wall filled with strawberries, tomatoes, basil and other herbs and vegetables. Residents of this step up housing facility are surprised at how the garden has united them.

“It brings us together as a group, kind of like therapy, to see something growing and flourishing,” Jannie Burrows said.

The wall was installed with the assistance Urban Farming, as part of the nonprofit’s Food Chain project. Urban Farming also erected “edible” walls at the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, the Miguel Contreras Learning Center and the Weingart Centidenter.

The Food Chain project, said Urban Farming founder Taja Sevelle, enables residents in some of the city’s poorest areas to grow food in underused spaces at a time when food prices are soaring. The walls, she said, “get people to think outside the box. You can plant food in so many different places.”

In the corporate world, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. recently installed a 2,400 square feet green wall on one side of its headquarters in Pittsburgh. It’s the size of two tennis courts and features more than 15,000 ferns, sedums, brass buttons and other plants that create a swirling pattern of varying hues of green above the company’s logo. They are divided among hundreds of 2-by-2-foot aluminum panels that were anchored onto the building’s frame after part of the granite facade was removed.

“We think it’s the right thing to do for our community, for our customers and our shareholders,” said Gary Saulson, head of corporate real estate for PNC. “We wanted to add greenery to an area that didn’t have any. … We really view the green wall as public art.”

Green Living Technologies LLC, of Rochester, N.Y., designed the wall at PNC. The company has also installed walls in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle.

PNC bills its green wall as the largest in North America. On average green walls cost about $100 to $125 a square foot.

The Pittsburgh wall requires only 15 minutes a week of watering during peak growing season — less in winter — provided through the building’s plumbing system.

For non-edible green walls, according to Joanne Westphal, a landscape architecture professor at Michigan State University and part of the school’s Green Roof Research Program, the biggest benefit to green walls is their ability to help cool buildings through shading. They also help capture rainwater and release it more slowly into the atmosphere and stormwater systems. Additionally, green walls can offset the carbon output of one person a day.

http://www.agreenroof.com

http://www.greenroofs.org

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/?p=514

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/slideshow/ALeqM5hKS7UwnC8nR6j4kYQLu6m1X7nBbQD9B9DRK00?index=0

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hKS7UwnC8nR6j4kYQLu6m1X7nBbQD9B9DRK00

http://www.insideurbangreen.org/green-wall/

http://www.edgelosangeles.com/index.php?ch=style&sc=home&sc2=&sc3=&id=97540

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/14/local/me-garden14

http://arkitipintel.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/amelia_b_lima-green_wall.jpg

WHAT DOES THE GOVERNOR’S WIFE THINK? SACRAMENTO IS DIVIDED ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON NEW GREEN ENERGY INITIATIVES

October 9, 2009 on 12:38 am | In Green Building, Green Cities, Green Houses, Greenhouse Gas, Solar, Solutions, Trends, U.S. Government, Uncategorized, all, the bright side | 7 Comments

WHAT DOES THE GOVERNOR’S WIFE THINK? SACRAMENTO IS DIVIDED ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON NEW GREEN ENERGY INITIATIVES

By Jodi Summers

The Governor and the Sacramento Democrats are divided in how to move forward and meet the state’s newly targeted energy goals. The Democratics wants the green power and the green jobs to come from within the state. The Governator just wants it done. As state 1st Lady Maria Shriver is a Democrat by birth married to a Republican, and a savvy politica in her own right – balance may lie with her opinion on the issue…would California’s First Lady offer her opinion please.

The recent update to AB 32, California’s landmark 2006 global warming initiative, says California electric utilities must get 33% of their power from renewable sources by 2020.

“With this action, we will ensure that California remains the pioneer in clean energy and clean jobs,” the Governor proudly declared.

The governor’s Executive Order S-21-09 came three days after Democratic lawmakers passed legislation Senate Bill 14 and Assembly Bill 64mandating the same goal, but in a way Schwarzenegger’s office said was too restrictive. The governor said he will veto the Democratic bills because they would limit how much wind, solar and geothermal energy utilities could import from other states.

The two sides did not disagree about the need or the practicality of setting an ambitious 33% renewable energy target. The conflict is over how California should reach the goal and the cost of making it happen.

The Democratic bills were backed by some but not all of the state’s utilities. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and Sempra Energy supported the bills, while Southern California Edison Co. and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District asked the governor for vetoes. The bills also drew support from labor unions and consumer advocates and opposition from manufacturers and independent energy-generating companies.

A recent study by the California Public Utilities Commission observed that said 11 new transmission lines and additional infrastructure would be needed to meet the 33 percent goal. Transmission lines typically cross several communities a well as federal land, so the permitting and siting process is very involved, bureaucratic - and time consuming. SC+E noted that each line can take about 10 years to build, and the total cost to electricity customers would be $115 billion.

Critics of the governor’s mandate argue that California will end up subsidizing green jobs in other states and Canada.

Our first lady, Maria Shriver Schwarzenegger, a former newscaster, had Democratic roots that run deep. Maria is a member of Kennedy family through her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of President John Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy. Her father, Sargent Shriver, is a former ambassador and a former Democratic candidate for the U.S. Vice-Presidency. Married to a Republican governor, the two must find political peace at the dinner table. California is interested in her opinion on how the state should achieve the bold green energy stance of Executive Order S-21-09.

http://gov.ca.gov/issue/energy-environment/

http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_13345618?source=rss

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-power16-2009sep16,0,3412344.story

http://www.historyguy.com/biofiles/shriver_maria.html

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800320712/photo/573730

http://theenvelope.latimes.com/galleries/photo/globescl-arrivals29_iafwqnkf,0,5199746,email.photo

http://www.environmentamerica.org/uploads/ig/hp/ighpWSCwRpKVJbuUaA7LCA/DSC_0263.jpg

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