Technosanity #7: Solfest 2008

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I recorded this a couple weeks ago during the Solfest. Solfest is a yearly gathering sponsored by Real Goods and the Solar Living Institute, it focuses on solar energy, off the grid living, appropriate technology, and much more. This was my first time attending the Solfest and I had a great time. The episode is pretty long but it covers a lot of things.

SolFest http://www.solarliving.org/display.asp?catid=17 -- SolFest is the world’s premier two-day celebration of renewable energy and sustainable living. Since SolFest was born in 1996 over 100,000 people have learned how to change the world while having fun. Each summer SolFest transforms the rural hamlet of Hopland, California, into the global epicenter of green living.

Solar Living Institute http://www.solarliving.org/ -- "mission is to promote sustainable living through inspirational environmental education. The Institute provides practical, education by example and hands-on workshops on renewable energy, green building, sustainable living, permaculture, organic gardening and alternative, environmental, construction methods."

Real Goods http://www.realgoods.com/

I made a few blog posts about the Solfest 2008 as well as found some interesting companies and other web resources.

Green Career Conference -- http://www.solarliving.org/store/product.asp?catid=13&pid=1652 -- http://solarliving.org/store/product.asp?catid=13&pid=1913 -- -- http://www.7gen.com/website/green-career/24878-green-career-conference -- Want a job in the 'Green Economy'? This is the place to go.

West Coast Green -- http://westcoastgreen.com/ -- A green building and technology conference scheduled to occur in San Jose, CA in September 2008

Climate Code Red -- http://www.7gen.com/website/climate-change/24879-climate-code-red -- A book making the case that our climate is at an utmost emergency crisis state. CODE RED EVERYBODY DROP WHAT YOU'RE DOING!

Grid Beam -- http://www.7gen.com/website/grid-beam/24872-grid-beam -- It's a very interesting idea for rapidly constructing things like furniture, shelves, beds, electric cars, or nearly anything else. Sol Man -- http://www.7gen.com/website/solar-electricity/24860-sol-man -- offered a very interesting portable solar power station, built using grid beam technology.

Avalon Springs -- http://www.7gen.com/website/intentional-community/24863-avalon-springs -- A new intentional community just started in Sonoma County.

David Blume, Alcohol Can be a Gas, at SolFest 2008 -- http://www.7gen.com/blog/20080829/24851-ethanol -- An amazingly interesting talk about using Ethanol as a fuel to power cars, airplanes, etc. The guy was phenomenal, had a lot of eye-opening things to say about the subject, to show how ethanol production isn't about food diversion but the food diversion story is more of an oil industry scam, etc. He's written a book, Alcohol Can Be a Gas!: Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century that goes into this deeply.

Greening Mass Media

A talk presenting thoughts on bringing 'green' thinking, ideas, perspective, etc to mass media. The green perspective is a niche viewpoint and it's easy for niche ideas to have a hard time being widespread in mainstream society. But there is a need for this viewpoint to be more widely accepted and enter mainstream society, and one way to do this is by having the green perspective regularly presented in the mass media. The talk was presented by Deborah Lindsey

She is not a professional journalist but came into being a talk show host & author from her desire to tell the story of green living. She got her start through finding a newly started radio station on which she could buy radio time. Over some time she'd built up a body of work that allowed her to build her career to a bigger scale. Now she podcasts, appears on a couple radio stations, writes articles for magazines, etc.

Management has specific goals -- to get advertising because it's advertising that pays the bills and satisfies managements duty to the shareholders. Over the history of mass media they've learned that "Tension" sells advertising. This is why journalists are always looking for the controversy and it seems that they sometimes create controversy where it doesn't exist.

If you're in the media industry let's be real, you're really in the advertising industry. Essentially all media is paid for by advertising.

It's a business and if it's going to be a sustainable business then you need to earn a living at it. She offered several ways to earn a living

- Being hired by a corporation

- Sponsorship or Endorsements

- Independent, and selling advertising

- Membership access to special content

- Commissioned articles (by the word)

- Grants

Technosanity #7: Solfest 2008

Links: 

http://audio.davidherron.com/technosanity/e000006.mp3

External Media

S Square Tube Products

URL: 

S Square Tube Products

Description: 

Designs and manufactures metal tube products they mean for street signs .. one new product includes knockouts for predrilled holes making this a grid beam compatible system.

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80/20 Inc

URL: 

80/20 Inc

http://8020inc.net/

Description: 

80/20 provides modular framing systems that can adjust to fit any industry and application. From heavy to light-duty, 80/20 modular framing will provide you with a secure and OSHA approved guard, display, workstation, etc.

It is similar in intent to the Grid Beam construction methodology.

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Green Career Conference

URL: 

Green Career Conference

Description: 

Career opportunities in the green sector have never looked brighter. From entrepreneurial start ups to global corporations, neighborhood non-profits to national governments: Green has hit the mainstream.

But where exactly are the opportunities? How do your skills best translate into the green economy? Where can you make the biggest impact? What skills do you need to succeed? What are the latest trends? How exactly do you get that green job of your dreams?

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West Coast Green

URL: 

West Coast Green

Description: 

While new green events emerge every year, West Coast Green represents the largest milestone yet in the green innovation movement. The West Coast Green experience is a feast of innovations, ideas and opportunities designed to expand your business, widen your vision, and stimulate your thinking with the latest best practices and key players in building, business and design.

Each year the conference has grown to meet the needs of industry leaders, practitioners and homeowners; this year the conversation will deepen to include a focus on the interface of green building, innovation and technology. The emerging products within the clean tech sector that have the most ability to reduce global warming gases are predominantly products for the building industry such as solar, wind and waste reduction. With the move to the San Jose Convention Center in the heart of Silicon Valley, West Coast Green will connect the explosive world of cleantech to the green innovation movement like never before.

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Synergy International Incorporated (SII)

URL: 

Synergy International Incorporated (SII)

Description: 

an international project team that turns mature ideas and dreams into reality. We have a business unit in California with plans to set up our European and International presence in 2007. Our mission is the continued promotion, development and deployment of demonstration projects that introduce renewable and sustainable technologies that are in long-term partnership with our Planet. Ecological design incorporating solar energy systems is the basis of our work. Our team of international consultants provide information, pathways, and solutions to virtually any agroforestry, architectural, developmental or technological problem.

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Recliner Workstation

URL: 

Recliner Workstation

Description: 

A design using the Grid Beam system that enables computing away from a desk but using large screen displays. It relies the ability to mount LCD monitors using VESA mounts.

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Grid Beam

URL: 

Grid Beam

Description: 

Grid beam is a simple, easy-to-use, modular building system. The reusable pieces bolt together. It's like an Erector Set for the real world! What can I build with grid beam? Almost anything! Ordinary people with few skills and minimal tools can tackle projects ranging from furniture and shop benches to wind turbines and towers, solar panel mounts, truck racks, small buildings--even electric vehicles.

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Gridbeamers

URL: 

Gridbeamers

Description: 

Grid Beam is a reusable structural system that allows you to dream-up and build complex projects faster than any other construction technology that you or I have ever seen!

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Humanity Unites Brilliance

URL: 

Humanity Unites Brilliance

Description: 

• The central uniting place for people and organizations to come together and move our world from survival, to self-sustainability, to self-empowerment
• A new model for business and humanitarian living
• A social community supported by a powerful social marketing program
• A source for you to gain access to the finest tools, resources and products to help you use your passions to transform yourself and the world - including the world's most inspirational educators, best-selling empowerment authors, top empowerment curriculums, and more
• Unite some of the most effective non-profit and for-benefit organizations, such as food companies, education companies, micro-loan companies, and more, combining their contributions, creating “the full package”, allowing communities to receive the resources necessary to sustain themselves on every level
• Unite your brilliance with other like-minded people, social change leaders and organizations, allowing you to use your resources and passions to change our world
• Maintain an economic engine that not only creates consistent funding for important humanitarian works, but grows exponentially and creates financial abundance for those who help us generate the dollars - a revolutionary way to give that we call “sustainable global giving”

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Sunshine Systems

URL: 

Sunshine Systems

Description: 

Makes a series of "grow lights" for hydroponics systems. The lights are LED based and are full spectrum.

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The California School of Herbal Studies

URL: 

The California School of Herbal Studies

Description: 

Our mission is to help create sustainable communities by providing Earth-centered, community based herbal education. CSHS works to empower individuals with the skills, experience and confidence needed by the community herbalist.

Our school teaches from the tradition of western herbalism, with a materia medica primarily made up of North American and European herbs. Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine perspectives and herbs are used to complement the Western tradition.

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Girton Capital

URL: 

Girton Capital

Description: 

Girton Capital Management is a research-driven investment advisor dedicated to friendly and professional service and clear and open communication. They have an especial interest in socially responsible investing.

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Research Initiative on Social Entrepreneurship

URL: 

Research Initiative on Social Entrepreneurship

Description: 

The Research Initiative on Social Entrepreneurship (RISE) is a research project at Columbia Business School whose mission is to study and disseminate knowledge about the markets, metrics and management of for-profit and nonprofit social enterprise and social venturing.

RISE is jointly sponsored and supported within Columbia Business School by the Social Enterprise Program and the Eugene M. Lang Center for Entrepreneurship, and externally by foundations, investment funds, and individual contributions.

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Calvert Foundation

URL: 

Calvert Foundation

Description: 

Calvert Foundation, a nonprofit organization, is an award-winning industry leader in Community Investment. We provide investors with innovative financial products and services that channel flexible, affordable capital to underserved communities. For over 10 years, Calvert Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, has been working to make community investment a safe and logical option for all investors seeking to make a positive social impact. To make community investment accessible to a wider audience, we've removed critical barriers by creating investment products that blend both financial and social returns. We focus on using investment capital, rather than conventional philanthropy, to create a sustainable, scalable model that enables nonprofit organizations and social enterprises to address critical social problems.

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Social Investment Forum

URL: 

Social Investment Forum

Description: 

The Social Investment Forum (SIF) is the only national membership association dedicated to advancing the concept, practice, and growth of socially and environmentally responsible investing (SRI). Our members integrate economic, environmental, social and governance factors into their investment decisions and SIF provides programs and resources to advance this work.

SIF's membership includes more than 500 social investment practitioners and institutions, including financial professionals, analysts, portfolio managers, banks, mutual funds, researchers, foundations, community development organizations, and public educators.

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Cruise Car

URL: 

Cruise Car

Description: 

Cruise Car low-speed vehicles will enrich your lifestyle with ease, comfort, and fun. Cruise Car vehicles are easy to drive, and easy to maintain - plus they are gas free. They offer a range of electric vehicles from golf cart size, through utility vehicles, to multipassenger busses. They also offer a solar panel roof to utilize the sun for added range.

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Cooperative Community Energy

URL: 

Cooperative Community Energy

Description: 

Cooperative Community Energy Corporation (CCEnergy) is a member-owned organization of people like you who want clean, affordable energy for their homes and businesses.

CCEnergy provides discounts on renewable energy equipment as well as expert design and project management services. We can handle any size system from a small residential system to megawatt industrial systems.

CCEnergy works with a network of solar contractors to ensure that your solar energy system is properly installed for years of carefree service. We have provided equipment for hundreds of solar installations throughout Northern California.

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Sol Man

URL: 

Sol Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gTIUB2XDnI

Description: 

A mobile solar power generator with the form factor of a pushcart. It rolls around easily due to being properly balanced on a pair of wheels. It contains a complete system including batteries, inverter, charge controller and solar panels. Just transport it to your destination, roll it into the sun, and have instant power.

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Solar Richmond

URL: 

Solar Richmond

Description: 

Solar Richmond serves the Richmond community through green-collar job training and opens doors to employment within the solar industry. We are the glue that brings together resources in order to meet our end-goal of 5 megawatts of installed solar in Richmond by 2010. We work closely with diverse partners in city government, the non-profit world and local businesses as well. This is the facilitating role we have been playing and will continue to play. Now we are looking to bring more resources to the table with our new 10-week paid internship program.

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Green-Collar Jobs Campaign, An Ella Baker Initiative

URL: 

Green-Collar Jobs Campaign, An Ella Baker Initiative

Description: 

new, multi-billion dollar economic sector is emerging, bringing new opportunities in green construction, clean technology, urban agriculture and energy. Our goal: ensure that this green economy is strong enough to lift people out of poverty.

Green-Collar Jobs Campaign creates opportunities in the green economy for poor people and people of color through policy advocacy, public outreach, and an employment pipeline - the Green Jobs Corps.

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The International Institute for Ecological Agriculture

URL: 

http://permaculture.com/

Description: 

dedicated to healing the planet while providing for the human community—by education and implementation of socially just, ecological, resource-conserving forms of agriculture, the basis of all sustainable societies.

The IIEA was founded in 1993 by Farmer David Blume as a nonprofit organization focused on promoting permaculture and alternative fuels. The people who work at the International Institute for Ecological Agriculture have diverse interests and talents that help this organization thrive. See the staff page for bios and descriptions.

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Green Career Central

URL: 

Green Career Central

Description: 

Are you searching for the best way to plug into the green economy? Are you trying to figure out how to leverage your passions, skills, talents, and experience into a viable green career? Are you confused about where to start your search? Our mission is to help you transform your passion
for the environment into a prosperous green career.

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Carol McLelland, What you need to know to find a green career

90% of finding a new job is navigating the inner landscape of hopes, dreams, fears, self sabotage, etc. Stay focused especially on the idea that possibilities abound. Stay in hope and momentum.

That point, staying in hope, possibilities, momentum, that's about being a good manifester.

Many have a question or block of needing to know where they're going before starting out. This is a way of blocking yourself and keeping yourself from starting out. She claims it's better to just start out, and that you don't have to have the journey worked out before you start. Instead the journey is taken one step at a time. The thing you're starting toward may not even exist at the time you start out.

Is your industry ready to hire you? Are you qualified for the industry you want to work in? What are the qualifications?

Links: 

http://GreenCareerCentral.com

Links: 

Green Career Conference

External Media

David Blume, Alcohol Can be a Gas, at SolFest 2008

I attended Solfest 2008 and took these notes during a session given by David Blume, author of Alcohol Can be a Gas and an advocate for alcohol fuel for vehicles.

Producing Alcohol can be done far in better ways than how it's done in the mega-sized plants using corn based production. There are other methodologies, other crop sources, other treatment systems, etc, which are more efficient and produce a better overall result.

Very interesting and packed full of information. The guy has a deep background and knowledge around agriculture, growing stuff, has trained over 500 permaculturists, etc. He has researched alcohol for fuel for a long long time.

History - the 'Botany of Desire'

The Model T Ford could run on either alcohol or gasoline and there was a switch on the dash to swap tanks and adjust timing and carbeurator settings. Todays Flex Fuel vehicles have a sensor that automagically adjusts for the fuel. It's quite possible to make gasoline cars that easily run ethanol and it's good for the engine life if you do so.

The root of the problem is oil and greed. Rockefeller & Ford competed over which fuel should be standard. Rockefeller funded the Womens Christian Temperence Union, and the WCTU went on a political campaign against the evils of alcohol. They ended up completely outlawing alcohol for all uses from drinking to vehicles. Think of how in the world did anybody think a bunch of boozers like congressmen would vote to outlaw alcohol, but they did, due to political manipulation supposedly by Rockefeller funding the WTCU. All so that gasoline would be the standard fuel for cars, not Alhohol.

He claimed in those years there weren't gasoline stations at all. In the country lots of farmers made alcohol on their farms and sold it to those who needed fuel. But in the cities gasoline was available. Then if someone were to take a trip out of town they might run low on gasoline and they simply stop at a farm and buy some alcohol. That's why the cars had controls on the dash that let the driver switch fuels.

There's a meme today that "Alcohol is diverting food & driving up food prices". Sure enough there have been food riots all over the world and those food riots have been blamed on alcohol & biofuels. I have some articles on 7gen.com about this problem. However he claimed this was propoganda which cost the oil industry $1 billion to foist upon us. And they were very successful because we all know this meme.

The proof? There is a huge food SURPLUS. In 2007 there was a whole lotta corn which went unsold. Economics 101 says that if supply is more than demand that the price ought to drop. Right? Given that there's a huge surplus then why did prices go up. Oh, another factoid is that in Mexico (one place where food riots happened) the peasants use a different corn for their tortillas than the corn used in the U.S. to make alcohol.

Anyway the cause he claimed for food prices to go up was market manipulation by the oil companies. They would buy corn futures then not take delivery of the corn they bought and instead sell the contracts, at a large loss, to food producers. This made the price go up artificially.

Further, making alcohol from corn doesn't have to divert food. If it's done properly.

The proper method is to make alcohol from corn. This removes the starch from the corn, leaving behind "Dried Distillers Grain". This stuff is an extremely good cattle feed and is a farming practice that goes back eons. The issue is that cattle's stomachs don't do a good job digesting corn, due to the starch. But the dried distillers grain doesn't have starch and the cattle can readily digest it. Further cattle fed dried distillers grain don't fart as much, reducing the effect cow methane has on global warming.

Factoids:-

10# of corn --> 1# of beef

3# of dried distillers grain --> 1.17# of beef

That means that putting corn into a system that first produces ethanol and second is used as a cattle feed, the food supply would actually INCREASE. As opposed to a system where some corn is used for ethanol and other corn is used for cattle and neither are used efficiently.

Ethanol is extremely low emissions. This is due to it burning almost completely. There are no NoX emissions etc, plus burning ethanol can incinerate existing pollution in the air making the air cleaner as it exits the engine. He has a lot of experience using alcohol in engines and has seen how the innards stay shiny and last a very very very very long time.

A factoid that's tossed around is alcohol has a lower BTU than gasoline so therefore it would take more alcohol fuel to accomplish the same result as if you burned gasoline. But there's a fallacy. You have to consider the percentage of fuel converted to work. Gasoline doesn't burn efficiently and thus has a low percentage of fuel converted to work. Alcohol burns completely and has a high percentage of fuel converted to work. If you take this into consideration then alcohol is more thermally efficient.

Links: 

http://permaculture.com/

AASIN: 

Alcohol Can Be a Gas!: Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century

Shapeways

URL: 

Shapeways

Description: 

A service which allows you to create any 3D design, and have it printed in plastic. Designs are made in 3D graphics packages such as Blender. Their technology is able to "print" any design in any shape (to some extent).

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Leadership Education and Development Program in Business (LEAD)

URL: 

Leadership Education and Development Program in Business (LEAD)

Description: 

A national partnership of America's top corporations and business schools. Building a talented and diverse workforce ready for the business environment. Encouraging outstanding high school juniors from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in business.

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