Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.9, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # SustainableSA.com Solutions to Create Climate Wealth ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Blog](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/blog/) - [Polyface Farms - The Future of Farming is Holistic](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/polyface-farms-future-farming/) - Another side and view of Joel Salatin: A Bit About Joel Salatin Polyface Farms - How our food is farmed is what matters most, as in biomimicry, study ecosystems and mimic ecosystems, rather than just blaming meat eaters. Animals can be good for the land and have an ecopositive effect. Regenerative farming methods include: holistic - [Do Your Due Deligence When Buying Solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/do-your-due-deligence-when-buying-solar/) - [IBM Solar Collector Magnifies Sun By 2000X – These Could Provide Power To The Entire Planet | Collective-Evolution](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/ibm-solar-collector-magnifies-sun-by-2000x-these-could-provide-power-to-the-entire-planet-collective-evolution/) - A team at IBM recently developed what they call a High Concentration Photo Voltaic Thermal (HCPVT) system capable of concentrating the power of 2,000 suns, they are even claiming to be able to concentrate energy safely up to 5,000X. This process of trapping the sunlight produces water that can be used to produce filtered drinkable - [Progress and Sustainability Are Intertwined](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-progress-and-sustainability-are-intertwined/) - History shows whale blubber and buggy whips were once fine industries but progress moved us to better things. And through progress today we know the days are well over of a false choice between environmental protection and economic growth. Similarly, it's time we progressively and nimbly move away from fossil fuels. It’s not a question - [Look out Putin — Ukrainian woman invents ‘solar for balconies’ to wean Europe off Russian gas | TechCrunch](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/look-out-putin-ukrainian-woman-invents-solar-for-balconies-to-wean-europe-off-russian-gas-techcrunch/) - Much has been made of how European countries are, on the one hand, supporting Ukraine in its fight against the heinous and illegal invasion by Russia but at the same time remaining heavily dependent on Russian energy sources. WeDoSolar, launched in February 2022 (the month Russia invaded Ukraine) and says it has so far received - [The US may have an unexpected green energy source: abandoned oil and gas wells  - Vox](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-us-may-have-an-unexpected-green-energy-source-abandoned-oil-and-gas-wells-vox/) - The US is spending millions to explore a surprising source of untapped power. What’s old is new again That’s exactly what the agency’s pilot program, called Wells of Opportunity: ReAmplify, aims to do, awarding a total of $8.4 million to four projects across the country that will each try to tap into some of those - [Fracking the Eagle Ford Shale: Big Oil & Bad Air on the Texas Prairie | Inside Climate News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/fracking-the-eagle-ford-shale-big-oil-bad-air-on-the-texas-prairie-inside-climate-news/) - An eight-month investigation into the public health consequences of unmitigated oil and gas industry sprawl in Texas Members of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team from InsideClimate News, together with the Center for Public Integrity and The Weather Channel, reveal that as oil and gas booms in Texas, legislators and regulators are more intent on protecting the - [Fracking the Eagle Ford Shale - Big Oil and Bad Air on the Texas Prairie - Weather Channel](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/fracking-the-eagle-ford-shale-big-oil-and-bad-air-on-the-texas-prairie/) - The Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas is the site of one of the biggest energy booms in America, with oil and gas wells sprouting at an unprecedented rate. But local residents fear for their health - not from the water, but from the air they breathe. Our eight-month investigation reveals the dangers that come - [A transition to ‘healthy sources of energy’ can generate jobs, says the World Health Organization](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-transition-to-healthy-sources-of-energy-can-generate-jobs-says-the-world-health-organization/) - Maria Neira of the U.N. agency discusses the economic benefits of a transition to renewable sources of energy. https://www.cnbc.com/video/2022/04/07/a-transition-to-healthy-sources-of-energy-can-generate-jobs-who.htmlSustainable practices are healthy, profitable and create jobs. - [Texas Will Get Billions for Environmental Projects from $1.2T Infrastructure Bill, from Clean Water to EV Charging to Public Transit » Dallas Innovates](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/texas-will-get-billions-for-environmental-projects-from-1-2t-infrastructure-bill-from-clean-water-to-ev-charging-to-public-transit-dallas-innovates/) - $550 billion in new infrastructure spending is coming to projects nationwide—and a big slice is bound for Texas. From new electric buses to rail projects to improved power infrastructure to lead water service line removal and more, Texas' environment may be one of the biggest beneficiaries of all. AECOM CEO Troy Rudd says the bill - [Jigar Shah's big idea for getting rooftop solar and… | Canary Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/jigar-shahs-big-idea-for-getting-rooftop-solar-and-canary-media/) - How the DOE could marshal its loan guarantees to decarbonize the grid and boost energy equity in one fell swoop. Can a government program created to back industrial-scale energy infrastructure help get efficient smart appliances and solar-battery systems into the hands of Americans who typically would not be able to afford them? In Shah’s view, - [In Texas, a rancher swaps his oil pumps for wind turbines](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/in-texas-a-rancher-swaps-his-oil-pumps-for-wind-turbines/) - Cattle rancher Bobby Helmers cranes to listen as the blades of his six giant wind turbines slice through the air in the same Texas fields that once echoed with the sounds of oil pumps. Like JR and Bobby Ewing, lead characters in the hit 1970s and 80s TV series "Dallas," Helmers hosted oil wells on - [A Nonprofit Promised to Preserve Wildlife. Then It Made Millions Claiming It Could Cut Down Trees. — ProPublica](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-nonprofit-promised-to-preserve-wildlife-then-it-made-millions-claiming-it-could-cut-down-trees-propublica/) - A Nonprofit Promised to Preserve Wildlife. Then It Made Millions Claiming It Could Cut Down Trees.The Massachusetts Audubon Society has managed its land as wildlife habitat for years. Here’s how the carbon credits it sold may have fueled climate change. The Massachusetts Audubon Society has long managed its land in western Massachusetts as crucial wildlife - [Why Detroit Residents Pushed Back Against Tree-Planting](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-detroit-residents-pushed-back-against-tree-planting/) - Detroiters were refusing city-sponsored “free trees.” A researcher found out the problem: She was the first person to ask them if they wanted them. The residents Carmichael surveyed understood the benefits of having trees in urban environments—they provide shade and cooling, absorb air pollution, especially from traffic, increase property values, and improve health outcomes. But - [Why did renewables become so cheap so fast? And what can we do to use this global opportunity for green growth? - Our World in Data](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-did-renewables-become-so-cheap-so-fast-and-what-can-we-do-to-use-this-global-opportunity-for-green-growth-our-world-in-data/) - For the world to transition to low-carbon electricity, energy from these sources needs to be cheaper than electricity from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels dominate the global power supply because until very recently electricity from fossil fuels was far cheaper than electricity from renewables. This has dramatically changed within the last decade. In most places in - [US green economy has 10 times more jobs than the fossil fuel industry | New Scientist](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/us-green-economy-has-10-times-more-jobs-than-the-fossil-fuel-industry-new-scientist/) - The green economy has grown so much in the US that it employs around 10 times as many people as the fossil fuel industry – despite the past decade’s oil and gas boom. The fossil fuel sector, from coal mines to gas power plants, employed around 900,000 people in the US in 2015-16, government figures - [Solar Panel Recycling in 2019: How it Works](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-panel-recycling-in-2019-how-it-works/) - October 16, 2020 Update: America’s Largest Solar Panel-Maker Leads the World in Panel Recycling–Recovering 95% of Materials Solar panel recycling is important for the future of solar. Solar panels have a lifetime of about 30 years. With the increasing number of solar panels being sold and installed in the United States each year, it’s only - [Coronavirus Inspires 64 Percent of Americans to Be More Eco-Friendly](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/coronavirus-inspires-64-percent-of-americans-to-be-more-eco-friendly/) - With people all across the U.S. spending more time at home during coronavirus quarantines, many Americans are rethinking their habits and trying to live more sustainably. According to a new survey, nearly two-thirds of people have been inspired to pick up more eco-friendly habits during the pandemic — and beyond. Source: Coronavirus Inspires 64 Percent - [Mitigation and Adaptation | Solutions – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/mitigation-and-adaptation-solutions-climate-change-vital-signs-of-the-planet/) - Responding to Climate Change NASA is a world leader in climate studies and Earth science. While its role is not to set climate policy or prescribe particular responses or solutions to climate change, its purview does include providing the robust scientific data needed to understand climate change. NASA then makes this information available to the - [A Satellite Lets Scientists See Antarctica’s Melting Like Never Before](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-satellite-lets-scientists-see-antarcticas-melting-like-never-before/) - New data from space is providing the most precise picture yet of Antarctica’s ice, where it is accumulating most quickly and disappearing at the fastest rate, and how the changes could contribute to rising sea levels. The information, in a paper published on Thursday in the journal Science, will help researchers better understand the largest - [Senator Booker Is Right about Factory Farming](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/senator-booker-is-right-about-factory-farming/) - Should we pass legislation to end factory farming? Contrary to common belief, Senator Cory Booker’s best idea wasn’t dropping out of the 2020 presidential race. That was his second-best idea. His best idea was introducing the Farm System Reform Bill of 2019 to the U.S. Senate. This legislation would curtail concentrated animal-feeding operations (CAFOs), so-called - [Solar energy is green. Solar panels are not. AI can revolutionize their design](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-energy-is-green-solar-panels-are-not-ai-can-revolutionize-their-design/) - Solar panels are manufactured at 2,000˚C, a temperature so high it requires fossil-fuel power. They are also made using rare earth elements, the supply of which has both capacity and political issues. A new and global project is using artificial intelligence (AI) to rapidly create new designs with new materials that can make their manufacture - [CASE Introduces World's First Fully Electric Backhoe Loader](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/case-introduces-worlds-first-fully-electric-backhoe-loader-2/) - Another milestone for the construction equipment industry: the first electric backhoe loader arrives. CASE Construction Equipment unveiled “Project Zeus” – the all-new, all-electric CASE 580 EV backhoe loader, which turns out to be the first in the industry. We already saw electric excavators, loaders and some cool mining vehicles, but mostly on just a pilot - [The Energy Shift Approaches as Fossil Finance Dries Up | NRDC](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-energy-shift-approaches-as-fossil-finance-dries-up-nrdc/) - Coal has long been in decline, but with financial giants rethinking oil and gas, and a major proposed oil project folding, is the end in sight for new fossil fuel projects as well? Around the globe, energy and urgency is growing to limit human-driven climate change as quickly as possible. A youth movement, responding to rising anxiety - [The Plastic Problem | PBS NewsHour](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-plastic-problem-pbs-newshour/) - By 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans. It’s an environmental crisis that’s been in the making for nearly 70 years. Plastic pollution is now considered one of the largest environmental threats facing humans and animals globally. Watch video... - [Article: The Ocean Cleanup Device in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Finally Working](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/article-the-ocean-cleanup-device-in-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-is-finally-working-2/) - “We now have a self-contained system in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch that is using the natural forces of the ocean to passively catch and concentrate plastics,” he added. “This now gives us sufficient confidence in the general concept to keep going on this project.” - Boyan Slat Read more... - [Healthy soil is the real key to feeding the world](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/healthy-soil-is-the-real-key-to-feeding-the-world/) - One of the biggest modern myths about agriculture is that organic farming is inherently sustainable. It can be, but it isn’t necessarily. After all, soil erosion from chemical-free tilled fields undermined the Roman Empire and other ancient societies around the world. Other agricultural myths hinder recognizing the potential to restore degraded soils to feed the - [Fungus provides powerful medicine in fighting honey bee viruses: Mycelium extract reduces viruses in honey bees](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/fungus-provides-powerful-medicine-in-fighting-honey-bee-viruses-mycelium-extract-reduces-viruses-in-honey-bees/) - A mushroom extract fed to honey bees greatly reduces virus levels, according to a new paper. In field trials, colonies fed mycelium extract showed a 79-fold reduction in deformed wing virus and a 45,000-fold reduction in Lake Sinai virus compared to control colonies. The hope is that the results of this research will help dwindling - [San Antonio to Combat ‘Climate Emergency’ with New Action Plan](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-to-combat-climate-emergency-with-new-action-plan/) - One of America’s highest Latino-populated cities now has a strategy to address the climate crisis. Earlier this month, the San Antonio (64% Latino) City Council passed Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) by a 10-1 vote. It outlines objectives that will aim to reduce the city’s greenhouse emissions by 2050 and achieve climate equity for - [Fee-dividend climate plan right balance](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/fee-dividend-climate-plan-right-balance/) - How to solve the political paradox of climate change? While most Americans accept that man-made climate change is real, they are divided about what to do in response to it and how urgently to take action. Recent polling from the Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation found nearly 8 in 10 Americans agree human activity - [Moss-growing concrete absorbs CO2, insulates and is also a vertical garden](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/moss-growing-concrete-absorbs-co2-insulates-and-is-also-a-vertical-garden/) - Sustainability has always been a game of catch up. The current energy production and construction trends mean that sustainability researchers have to come up with clever ways to lower emissions. Researchers at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona have found a creative solution to a long-established emissions problem. They discovered how to cleverly build - [BBC - Future - How brain biases prevent climate action](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/bbc-future-how-brain-biases-prevent-climate-action/) - Cognitive biases that ensured our initial survival now make it difficult to address long-term challenges that threaten our existence, like climate change. But they can help us too. We know that climate change is happening. We also know that it’s the result of increased carbon emissions from human activities like land degradation and the burning - [Where Batteries are Replacing Power Plants](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/where-batteries-are-replacing-power-plants/) - A curious thing recently happened in Southern California. One of the largest utilities in the country scrapped a proposal to build a new peaker plant, opting instead to build a battery system that could store excess electricity from solar and wind when conditions are good and cleanly dispatch it when needed. Batteries paired with wind - [Vast subsidies keeping the fossil fuel industry afloat should be put to better use](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/vast-subsidies-keeping-the-fossil-fuel-industry-afloat-should-be-put-to-better-use/) - Capitalism has often been identified as the underlying cause of the climate crisis. A leading voice on the subject is Naomi Klein, one of the climate movements most influential thinkers, whose seminal book on climate change was subtitled Capitalism vs. the Climate. She is one of many voices identifying capitalism as the cause of climate - [New Solar + Battery Price Crushes Fossil Fuels, Buries Nuclear](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/new-solar-battery-price-crushes-fossil-fuels-buries-nuclear/) - Los Angeles Power and Water officials have struck a deal on the largest and cheapest solar + battery-storage project in the world, at prices that leave fossil fuels in the dust and may relegate nuclear power to the dustbin. Later this month the LA Board of Water and Power Commissioners is expected to approve a - [Compare EVs: Guide To Range, Specs, Pricing & More](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/compare-evs-guide-to-range-specs-pricing-more/) - Compare EVs: Guide To Range, Specs, Pricing & More Understanding all the choices when it comes to plug-in electric vehicles can be a daunting task. Luckily, we've done a lot of the lifting work for you. More Details - Over 50 Plug-In EVs Compared: Price, Range + More Which EV costs the least? Which one - [Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/just-100-companies-responsible-for-71-of-global-emissions-study-says/) - Just 100 companies have been the source of more than 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1988, according to a new report. The Carbon Majors Report (pdf) “pinpoints how a relatively small set of fossil fuel producers may hold the key to systemic change on carbon emissions,” says Pedro Faria, technical director at - [What’s Worrying the Plastics Industry? Your Reaction to All That Waste, for One](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/whats-worrying-the-plastics-industry-your-reaction-to-all-that-waste-for-one/) - HOUSTON — One by one, they stepped to a clear plastic lectern at the Global Plastics Summit here and talked about what their companies were doing in response to the world's crisis in plastics waste. Representing businesses all along the supply and packaging chain, the speakers suggested solutions ranging from new technology that would take - [Energy storage hits the fast track, doubling year-over-year installations](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-storage-hits-the-fast-track-doubling-year-over-year-installations/) - Fueled by increased interest in grid service applications like time-of-use (TOU) shifting, self-consumption and backup power, the U.S. market for energy storage doubled in 2018 and is expected to double again by the end of the year. Of the 777 MWh of energy storage deployed in the United States in 2018 (which was an 80% - [Climate Change Poses Major Risks to Financial Markets, Regulator Warns](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/climate-change-poses-major-risks-to-financial-markets-regulator-warns/) - WASHINGTON — A top financial regulator is opening a public effort to highlight the risk that climate change poses to the nation’s financial markets, setting up a clash with a president who has mocked global warming and whose administration has sought to suppress climate science. Rostin Behnam, who sits on the federal government’s five-member Commodity - [Back-To-The-Future Agriculture: 'Farming Like the Earth Matters'](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/back-to-the-future-agriculture-farming-like-the-earth-matters/) - It is easy to forget that once upon a time all agriculture was organic, grassfed, and regenerative. Seed saving, composting, fertilizing with manure, polycultures, no-till and raising livestock entirely on grass—all of which we associate today with sustainable food production—was the norm in the “old days” of merely a century ago. And somehow we managed - [Agriculture + Ecology: No Matter What You Call It, the Science of “Agroecology” Adds Up - The Equation](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/agriculture-ecology-no-matter-what-you-call-it-the-science-of-agroecology-adds-up-the-equation/) - As a child of America’s Dairyland and conservationist Aldo Leopold’s home (yes, that would be Wisconsin), I always loved how agriculture and ecology dominated the scenery. Driving through the state, though, I usually only spotted those two vistas out opposite windows. On the one side, agriculture: vast landscapes of corn fields, pastures, or orchards, dotted - [Larry Fink, Tucker Carlson, David Brooks And The Call For A Capitalist Reformation](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/larry-fink-tucker-carlson-david-brooks-and-the-call-for-a-capitalist-reformation/) - A Capitalist System for the Future The perverse incentives inherent in a largely unconstrained capitalist system still exist. These incentives drive behaviors that increase inequality, reduce social mobility, devalue communities, deplete soils, acidify oceans, destroy biodiversity, trigger mass migrations and social instability, and fuel violence and war. These perverse incentives lead to concrete business practices - [How Rural States Are Leading the Clean Energy Revolution](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-rural-states-are-leading-the-clean-energy-revolution/) - In rural communities struggling with limited job growth and a roughly 40 percent net decline in farm incomes since 2011, wind and solar royalties have dramatically boosted economic development. In 2017 alone, farmers and ranchers received $267 million in wind farm lease payments, while other communities have seen their tax base increase from clean energy - [Energy Connections: New Energy Economy creating jobs, innovation and renewable power for SA](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-connections-new-energy-economy-creating-jobs-innovation-and-renewable-power-for-sa/) - The future is so bright for Greater San Antonio that you gotta wear shades. That pretty much sums up the future of our growing community and we’re glad to be contributing in a big way with our New Energy Economy. Since we launched the New Energy Economy in June 2011, Greater San Antonio has seen - [Book-Sized Solar Panels Could Power a Whole Home in New Breakthrough](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/book-sized-solar-panels-could-power-a-whole-home-in-new-breakthrough/) - Scientists have developed a pioneering new technique that could generate enough electricity to power an entire home – all by using solar panels that are much smaller than current models. A team of experts from the University of Exeter has discovered an innovative way for generating photovoltaic (PV) energy – or ways in which to convert light into power. The new technique relies on ‘funneling’ the sun’s energy more efficiently directly into power cells, such as solar panels or batteries. While current solar cells are able to convert around 20% of the energy received from the sun, the new technique has the potential to convert around 60% of it by funneling the energy more efficiently. - [These Shipping Container Pools Are Cheaper Than Your Average In-Ground Pool](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/these-shipping-container-pools-are-cheaper-than-your-average-in-ground-pool/) - Traditional in-ground pools are notoriously a headache to install: the digging, the molding, the waiting. None of that is a factor with Modpools. According to the company’s website, you can be swimming the same day your pool is delivered. Prices range from $16,500 to $39,900, depending on the size (HomeAdvisor notes that an average in-ground pool can cost from $35,883 to $62,882). - [Just Add Water: New Salt Battery Could Help Spell the End of Fossil Fuels](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/just-add-water-new-salt-battery-could-help-spell-the-end-of-fossil-fuels/) - This groundbreaking new project in Germany is testing the use of salt as an ingredient for a fossil fuel-free future. The Reuter power plant in Berlin recently launched a new system of technology that is using calcium oxide, also known as quicklime, to store heat for long periods of time. Germany already has the renewable energy capacity to power more than half of the country, but since many green energy sources are dependent on consistent weather conditions, the nation is forced to continue using fossil fuels as backup energy sources. Quicklime, on the other hand, generates large amounts of heat when it is simply exposed to water. - [The Plan to Grab the World's Carbon With Supercharged Plants](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-plan-to-grab-the-worlds-carbon-with-supercharged-plants/) - In humanity’s battle against man-made climate change, the Earth itself provides one of the most important weapons, a natural system that breathes in Earth-warming CO2 and exhales oxygen. Yes, I’m talking about plants, engineered by nature itself over the course of millennia to harness the Earth’s natural conditions to turn sunlight and CO2 into oxygen - [Power-Hungry Texas Oil Drillers Get a Little Help From Solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/power-hungry-texas-oil-drillers-get-a-little-help-from-solar/) - Texas, home to the world’s largest oil reserve and America’s biggest source of coal-fired power, is on the verge of a clean-energy boom. Wind already supplies about 15 percent of Texas’s electricity, and now developers are about to quadruple the state’s solar capacity, adding enough panels by 2022 to light up all of Dallas. But - [Plastic Packaging Alternatives](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/plastic-packaging-alternatives/) - Tired of plastic pollution? There are many alternatives. Why should we and brands care about plastic pollution? Plastics is one of the biggest challenges the world is facing right now. Thanks to David Attenborough’s Blue Planet, consumers are suddenly aware of the thousands of tonnes of plastic filling the ocean. As plastic is so prolifically - [Designer Talks About Eco Positive Environmental Impact](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/talk-about-eco-positive-environmental-impact/) - Elegant design and engineering goes beyond being sustainable to being eco positive. New vocabulary, additional data collection and working with scientists is needed to most effectively stimulate and manage a circular economy, making the means by which we live to be resilient, efficient and productive, and most of all, regenerative and eco positive. Did you - ["Prescribing" healthy foods would save $100 billion in medical costs](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/prescribing-healthy-foods-would-save-100-billion-in-medical-costs/) - Perhaps it’s time for doctors to start prescribing more produce than pills. That’s, at least, what researchers argue in a new study that finds “prescriptions” for healthy foods could save more than $100 billion in healthcare costs. Researchers at Tufts University made the case that subsidized fruits and vegetables could prevent millions of cases of - [The Burden — American Resilience Project](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-burden-american-resilience-project/) - The San Antonio chapters of the Citizens Climate Lobby, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance held a panel discussion on June 9, 2018 about how fossil fuel dependence affects national security — and how the military is primed to lead the transition into clean energy. “The Burden makes a compelling case - [The military is cutting its dangerous dependence on diesel - with solar power and microgrids](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-military-is-cutting-its-dangerous-dependence-on-diesel-with-solar-power-and-microgrids/) - The US Army is not particularly shy about adopting the latest high-tech gadgets, and renewable energy is a case in point. Despite all the fossil friendly rhetoric emanating from the White House, the Army is still pursuing microgrids with renewable solar energy to improve operations and cut costs at its domestic bases here in the - [Mushrooms have the power to eat plastic say scientists](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/mushrooms-have-the-power-to-eat-plastic-say-scientists/) - Fungi can be used to break down waste plastic and create sustainable building materials, according to scientists from Kew Gardens in London. The State of the World's Fungi 2018 report – the first of its kind – highlights the aspergillus tubingensis fungus, found in a Pakistani rubbish tip and first documented in 2017. It claims - [A Mini Farm That Produces Food From Plastic-Eating Mushrooms](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-mini-farm-that-produces-food-from-plastic-eating-mushrooms/) - According to one recent study, there’s at least 5 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean. That’s more than 250 tons. So what to do with mountains of plastic waste with nowhere to go? Katharina Unger thinks we should eat it. The Austrian designer partnered with Julia Kaisinger and Utrecht University to develop a system - [San Antonio Chicken Walk Coop Tour | Food Policy Council of San Antonio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-chicken-walk-coop-tour-food-policy-council-of-san-antonio/) - The Food Policy Council of San Antonio's 2nd Annual San Antonio Chicken Walk coop tour will be held Saturday, April 13th, with great coops in north central San Antonio. The provide a map and passport to pre-registered visitors by email, but you can register on the day of the tour. This tour celebrates the October - [What Laws Work Best to Cut Plastic Pollution?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/what-laws-work-best-to-cut-plastic-pollution/) - Experts have recommended how the United States can drastically curb the use of throwaway plastics with new federal legislation. Read more about how do you solve a problem this big? What Works There are currently no federal laws restricting single-use plastics, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t good examples that could serve as useful templates. - [Where Will Your Plastic Trash Go Now That China Doesn't Want It?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/where-will-your-plastic-trash-go-now-that-china-doesnt-want-it/) - What should wealthy countries do with their plastic waste now that China no longer is buying it? For years, America sold millions of tons of used yogurt cups, juice containers, shampoo bottles and other kinds of plastic trash to China to be recycled into new products. And it wasn't just the U.S. Some 70 percent - [Norway's $1tn wealth fund to divest from oil and gas exploration](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/norways-1tn-wealth-fund-to-divest-from-oil-and-gas-exploration/) - The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, which manages $1tn (£770bn) of Norway’s assets, is to dump investments in firms that explore for oil and gas, but will still hold stakes in firms such as BP and Shell that have renewable energy divisions. The Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG), whose assets exceed those of rival sovereign - [Planting Calendar & Companion Planting Guide](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-planting-calendar-companion-planting-guide-2/) - San Antonio Area 2019 Planting Calendar - and below our Companion Planting Guide Join our newsletter for reminders on upcoming sales & seminars Here is your San Antonio Area Planting Calendar in pdf format suitable for printing. We've been giving these away for years. Includes most favorable dates for planting and destroying crops yielding their - [San Antonio Planting Calendar & Companion Planting Guide](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-planting-calendar-companion-planting-guide/) - Join our newsletter for reminders on upcoming sales & seminars Here is your San Antonio Area Planting Calendar in pdf format suitable for printing. I've been giving these away for years. Includes most favorable dates for planting and destroying crops yielding their harvest ABOVE and BELOW ground for Spring and Fall Gardens. Please give some - [An Open Letter To Be the Change and Lead the Change](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/an-open-letter-to-be-the-change-and-lead-the-change/) - Whale blubber and buggy whips were once fine industries, but progress moved us away. And today we know the days are over of a false choice between environmental protection and economic growth. Since when did the simple concept of leaving the planet a better place for our kids become a partisan issue? We all benefit - [The Nubian Vault: An ecological housing solution](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-nubian-vault-an-ecological-housing-solution/) - A housing solution for big cities as well as rural areas, Nubian vaults have become popular in the region of Boromo and have spread across five other regions. And a large market for Nubian vaults has emerged in big cities like Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. March and April are the two hottest months - [In the Deepest Ocean Trenches, Animals Eat Plastic](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/in-the-deepest-ocean-trenches-animals-eat-plastic/) - Alan Jamieson remembers seeing it for the first time: a small, black fiber floating in a tube of liquid. It resembled a hair, but when Jamieson examined it under a microscope, he realized that the fiber was clearly synthetic—a piece of plastic. And worryingly, his student Lauren Brooks had pulled it from the gut of - [Trees are aware of their neighbors and give them room](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/trees-are-aware-of-their-neighbors-and-give-them-room/) - Lessons from nature…Cohabitation In 'crown shyness,' some tree species respect those nearby and keep their leaves to themselves. I could write about trees until I was green in the gills; and I do. And it's probable that every time I write about them, I slip into anthropomorphising them. Maybe they don't walk around and fly - [‘This is not controversial’: Bipartisan group of economists calls for carbon tax with dividends](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/this-is-not-controversial-bipartisan-group-of-economists-calls-for-carbon-tax-with-dividends/) - Forty-five top economists from across the political spectrum are calling for the United States to put a tax on carbon, saying it is by far the best way for the nation to address climate change. Does this plan include exempting the fossil fuel industry from any kind of legal action or reparations for having lied - [Biological Pest Control, Biomimicry & Mycology](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/biological-pest-control-biomimicry-mycology/) - Biological pest control is the way of the future using biomimicry to emulate what nature does. Why genetically modify when we can just learn from nature how it's already being done, and has been doing it for millions of years. Or in other words, why reinvent the wheel? Mycology is also a great example of - [U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Block Exxon Climate Fraud Investigation | InsideClimate News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/u-s-supreme-court-refuses-to-block-exxon-climate-fraud-investigation-insideclimate-news-2/) - What did Exxon know and when did they know it, will it be like the tobacco industry's debacle of deniability? Massachusetts' attorney general is trying to force Exxon to turn over decades of records involving what it knew about climate change and what it told the public. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to - [U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Block Exxon Climate Fraud Investigation | InsideClimate News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/u-s-supreme-court-refuses-to-block-exxon-climate-fraud-investigation-insideclimate-news/) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up ExxonMobil's latest attempt to block Massachusetts' investigation into whether the oil giant misled the public and investors about climate change. The decision clears the way for state Attorney General Maura Healey to force the company to turn over records as her office probes whether Exxon - [What Minimum-Wage Foes Got Wrong About Seattle - Bloomberg](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/what-minimum-wage-foes-got-wrong-about-seattle-bloomberg/) - A living wage is part of a sustainable economy. The dire warnings about minimum-wage increases keep proving to be wrong. So much so that in a new paper, the authors behind an earlier study predicting a negative impact have all but recanted their initial conclusions. However, the authors still seem perplexed about why they went - [Going plastic-free: The rise of zero-waste shops - BBC News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/going-plastic-free-the-rise-of-zero-waste-shops-bbc-news/) - How long until this concept crosses the pond? Packaging-free refill shops are on the rise in Wales as the backlash against plastic gathers pace. Last year saw "zero waste" shops open in Crickhowell in Powys, Tenby in Pembrokeshire and in Cardiff. "It's a more modern way of doing an older thing," Sophie Rae, founder of - [Vladimir Vernadsky and the Disruption of the Biosphere](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/vladimir-vernadsky-and-the-disruption-of-the-biosphere/) - Virtually unknown in the west, the great Russian geologist and geochemist pioneered scientific study of life’s impact on the Earth. As we’ve seen, metabolism, a defining feature of all life, always involves exchanges with the world outside the organism. Life cannot exist without ingesting matter and excreting waste. The fact that the Earth is a - [What We Do | Stop Ocean Plastic & Reduce Poverty with Plastic Bank - Plastic Bank](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/what-we-do-stop-ocean-plastic-reduce-poverty-with-plastic-bank-plastic-bank/) - By enabling the exchange of plastic for money, items or Blockchain secured digital tokens, we reveal the value in plastic. This empowers recycling ecosystems around the world and stops the flow of plastic into our oceans. All while helping people living in poverty build better futures. HOW WE CREATE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Plastic Bank - [Exclusive: In new policy, downtown housing incentives would spread to other parts of San Antonio, exclude 'luxury' developments - San Antonio Heron](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/exclusive-in-new-policy-downtown-housing-incentives-would-spread-to-other-parts-of-san-antonio-exclude-luxury-developments-san-antonio-heron/) - Editor’s Note: This is an analysis of the latest revisions to the Center City Housing Incentive Policy (CCHIP), which the City Council has not yet discussed. The council is scheduled to discuss the changes you’re about to learn about on Dec. 12, and vote on them Dec. 13. In a set of revisions meant to - [Paula Gold-Williams and the Generators of Opportunity at CPS Energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/paula-gold-williams-and-the-generators-of-opportunity-at-cps-energy/) - While clean energy projects continue to reshape the oil and gas sector, the largest municipally owned electric and gas utility company in the United States is proving that inclusive leadership is as crucial to the energy industry’s future as a diverse portfolio. Based in San Antonio, Texas, CPS Energy bucks state and national norms with - [Rethinking Recycling | Think](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/rethinking-recycling-think/) - The United States recycles about 34 percent of its waste – a number that hasn’t increased much in decades. Beth Porter, climate and recycling director for Green America, joins host Krys Boyd to talk about recycling strategies for both individuals and municipalities, which she writes about in “Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine: Sorting Out the Recycling System” - [Net-Zero Energy Homes Pay Off Faster Than You Think—Even in Chilly Midwest | InsideClimate News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/net-zero-energy-homes-pay-off-faster-than-you-think-even-in-chilly-midwest-insideclimate-news/) - Zero-energy homes start with well-sealed and well-insulated attics, walls and basements or slabs. They often use triple-pane windows, especially in places with cold winters. Inside, energy-efficient appliances, highly efficient LED lighting and smart thermostats help avoid energy waste. Their designs often take natural lighting into account, too, and position windows and overhangs for additional solar - [San Antonio’s Compost Queens taking food out of landfills to replenish the land - ExpressNews.com](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonios-compost-queens-taking-food-out-of-landfills-to-replenish-the-land-expressnews-com/) - A small San Antonio family business is trying to combat the dangers of decaying banana peels and the gaseous gore of yesterday’s lunch scraps. Betsy Gruy and daughter Kate Gruy Jaceldo started Compost Queens to keep food waste out of the landfills and within the food cycle. The Compost Queens make their rounds every week - [For San Antonio's Water and Energy Utilities, Collaboration Leads to Conservation](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/for-san-antonios-water-and-energy-utilities-collaboration-leads-to-conservation/) - Great article at The Rivard Report on the excellent steps toward building smarter more efficient electric and water grids! Is it time to look at how SAWS and CPS can partner to install water pipes that generate electricity? Portland did it in 2015 so there should now be some great data to determine ROI and - [Pocacito (Post-Carbon Cities of Tomorrow) in San Antonio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/pocacito-post-carbon-cities-of-tomorrow-in-san-antonio/) - From Deleration.news: "Because much of the official discussion and implementation of the circular economy has taken place from the top down, on the level of governments and industries, we were most interested to hear about local, bottom-up, and community-driven efforts not just to transform large-scale material flows but the social relations in which they are - [If You Want To Frac Clean Up Your Act](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/if-you-want-to-frac-clean-up-your-act/) - An open verse to the National Petroleum Council, and who else to include? Please comment below and feel free to forward along to those who could most benefit... If you’re going to frac, at least, clean up your act. Have some damn self-respect and consideration for yourself, children and future generations. If you want to - [Companies with cleaner, smarter energy use outperform their peers](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/companies-with-cleaner-smarter-energy-use-outperform-their-peers/) - Companies committed to 100% renewable electricity are more profitable than their peers - a new report by the RE100 draws on financial data from 3,500 businesses underlining the business case for putting sustainability at the heart of corporate growth strategies. Source: Climate Week NYC: companies with cleaner, smarter energy use outperform their peers | The - [Working with nature rather than against it - Biomimicry Video - SustainableSA.com](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/working-with-nature-rather-than-against-it-biomimicry-video-sustainablesa-com/) - Click here to learn more about biomimicry? Biomimicry's 12 surprising lessons from nature's engineers Janine Benyus Source: Biomimicry Video - SustainableSA.com - [Will it take another American Civil War to transition from fossil fuels?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/will-it-take-another-american-civil-war-to-transition-from-fossil-fuels/) - Will our addiction to oil drain every last drop? "Having taken oil for granted for decades, the global economy has failed to prepare for its absence. A bleak future awaits . . . ...Today's energy supplies provide the equivalent of the work of 22 billion slaves, according to former oil industry man Colin Campbell. But - [Swiss startup Energy Vault is stacking concrete blocks to store energy — Quartz](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/swiss-startup-energy-vault-is-stacking-concrete-blocks-to-store-energy-quartz/) - Swiss-based Energy Vault provides an alternative to pumped-hydro energy storage by using concrete blocks and cranes instead of water and dams. The Energy Vault concept contends that because concrete is denser than water, lifting a block of concrete requires more energy and can store more energy than a water tank of the same size. Source: - [Figuring out how climate change affects the fungi that feeds trees and absorbs carbon](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/figuring-out-how-climate-change-affects-the-fungi-that-feeds-trees-and-absorbs-carbon/) - Despite aspen’s ability to grow from the northernmost reaches of Canada to the highest altitudes in Mexico, the tree is on the run. The southern part of the aspen’s range is drying up, while the northern edges are warming up and thus becoming more conducive to the tree’s survival, because of climate change, said Justine - [Fungi Discovered In The Amazon Will Eat Your Plastic | Co.Exist | ideas + impact](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/fungi-discovered-in-the-amazon-will-eat-your-plastic-co-exist-ideas-impact/) - The Amazon is home to more species than almost anywhere else on earth. One of them, carried home recently by a group from Yale University, appears to be quite happy eating plastic in airless landfills.The group of students, part of Yale’s annual Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory with molecular biochemistry professor Scott Strobel, ventured to the - [Texas Could See $100 Million In Solar Investments](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/texas-could-see-100-million-in-solar-investments/) - A deal announced Monday could mean a $100 million towards solar projects in Texas. Austin-based solar power company PowerFin Partners will develop and build the projects and Toronto-based real estate investors Fengate will finance the deals as part of today’s announced co-development deal. “Financing of solar projects is pretty difficult,” said Tuan Pham, president of - [CPS Energy Board of Trustees Public Input Session](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-energy-board-of-trustees-public-input-session/) - When: June 13, 2018 at 5 PM - 8:30 PM Where: Villita Assembly Building 401 Villita St San Antonio, Texas 78205 Show Map Complimentary parking at Navarro St Garage, 126 Navarro What: You are invited to attend a CPS Energy Board of Trustees Public Input Session about Our Flexible Path. Join us and learn about - [8 Answers to the Judge’s Climate Change Questions in Cities vs. Fossil Fuels Case](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/8-answers-to-the-judges-climate-change-questions-in-cities-vs-fossil-fuels-case/) - San Francisco and Oakland want to hold fossil fuel companies liable for sea level rise costs. In an unusual move, the judge ordered a climate tutorial for the court. Judicial review is about to meet peer review in a federal courtroom in San Francisco, where sparring cities and fossil fuel companies have been called to - [Kids around the world are suing their governments for ruining the planet](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/kids-around-the-world-are-suing-their-governments-for-ruining-the-planet/) - Do we have a fundamental right to a climate system capable of sustaining human life? What’s the point of inheriting the Earth if it’s only going to burn (or drown)? Kids around the world are asking governments this question and demanding answers in court. For example, on Dec. 11, Juliana v. US pitted the president - [Companies knew about the link between fossil fuel and global warming as far back as the 1980s](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/companies-knew-about-the-link-between-fossil-fuel-and-global-warming-as-far-back-as-the-1980s/) - Is it a surprise that Shell has known for years the dangers of fossil fuels? The same goes for ExxonMobil also having known. What should or can be done about it? A Dutch news organization has published a trove of internal documents from the oil giant Shell showing the company knew about the link between - [San Antonio ranks 6th in U.S. solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-ranks-6th-in-u-s-solar/) - The Alamo City — which was in eighth place last year — now has 161 megawatts of direct current solar power installed, according to the latest Shining Cities report from Environment America. The numbers are through the end of 2017. Direct current is the power produced by solar panels before being converted to alternating current, - [San Antonio Outshines Other Texas Cities In Solar Energy Capacity](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-outshines-other-texas-cities-in-solar-energy-capacity/) - San Antonio is the state's leader in solar energy capacity, according to a recent report assessing local "smart" policies across America. Within the last decade, growth in the solar energy industry has brought numerous businesses and new initiatives to San Antonio. CPS Energy, the city's municipal utility, for example, extended $15 million of funding to - [San Antonio’s CPS Energy faces criticism on clean energy strategy - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonios-cps-energy-faces-criticism-on-clean-energy-strategy/) - San Antonio’s public utility, CPS Energy, faced blowback from city leaders and environmental groups Thursday on its newly released strategic power plan that takes decades to fully transition to renewable sources of energy. “A lot of folks felt blindsided by this,” said Russell Seal, a conservation committee co-chair for the Sierra Club’s Alamo Group, outside - [Meet the Satellites That Can Pinpoint Methane and Carbon Dioxide Leaks - Scientific American](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/meet-the-satellites-that-can-pinpoint-methane-and-carbon-dioxide-leaks-scientific-american/) - We have many ways of measuring methane and CO2 levels. When we measure it we can manage it...if we really want to know and manage it. Polluters can't hide anymore. Source: Meet the Satellites That Can Pinpoint Methane and Carbon Dioxide Leaks - Scientific American - [Basura Bash Event 2018 – Saturday, February 17, 2018](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/basura-bash-event-2018-saturday-february-17-2018/) - Basura Bash is a one day, all volunteer event to clean the San Antonio Watershed. Choose a Tributary in your area. ATTENTION VOLUNTEERS! Here’s what you need to know to help pitch in with the Basura Bash Annual Waterways Cleanup Event. WHAT: Volunteers will collect trash from the banks of San Antonio area waterways listed - [A Call For An Equitable Climate Action Plan in San Antonio | Sierra Club](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-call-for-an-equitable-climate-action-plan-in-san-antonio-sierra-club/) - Last week, I walked into the San Antonio City Council Chambers to present the Council members with nearly 700 petition signatures urging them to press forward with their pledged commitment to develop a Climate Action Plan for the city. While there is much to celebrate in the forward movement of our new Council, many questions - [World Happiness Report](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/world-happiness-report/) - Are we learning the difference between Socialist Authoritarianism like in Venezuela and Democratic Socialism like what they have in the top 2 happiest countries in the world, Norway and Denmark? The World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness. The World Happiness Report 2017, which ranks 155 countries by their - [Butterfly wings inspire a better way to absorb light in solar panels - The Verge](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/butterfly-wings-inspire-a-better-way-to-absorb-light-in-solar-panels-the-verge/) - The wings of a butterfly have inspired a new type of solar cell that can harvest light twice as efficiently as before and could one day improve our solar panels. Solar panels are usually made of thick solar cells, and are positioned at an angle to get the most amount of light from the sun - [World's 1st Solar Mural Project](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/worlds-1st-solar-mural-project/) - World’s First Solar Mural Installation, a Land Art Generator Artwork by Cruz Ortiz, to be Unveiled at Luminaria. La Monarca’s final home will be at EPIcenter where it will generate clean energy for the site SAN ANTONIO, TX –– Land Heritage Institute (LHI), in collaboration with EPIcenter, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and the Land - [Power Move: How On-Site Energy Solutions Can Help Save the Grid](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/power-move-how-on-site-energy-solutions-can-help-save-the-grid/) - Across the U.S., energy users of all sizes are taking control of their power supply and relieving stress from the grid. That’s the idea behind distributed energy. Atlantic Re:think and Siemens partnered to explore this burgeoning energy revolution in 360º video. The traditional power grid is under tremendous pressure. In many places, infrastructure needs to - [MIT's new flow battery breathes air to cut costs of renewable energy storage](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/mits-new-flow-battery-breathes-air-to-cut-costs-of-renewable-energy-storage/) - Renewable energy might be clean, but it's not always reliable if the Sun ducks behind clouds or the wind slacks off. To counter that variability, the grid will need to combine a range of different sources, such as solar, wind, hydro, waves, and biomass, with large-scale energy storage systems. Now, an MIT team has developed - [Through 2030 District, Downtown Businesses Work to Cut Energy Usage](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/through-2030-district-downtown-businesses-work-to-cut-energy-usage/) - Members of a local energy-efficiency initiative collectively reduced their carbon impact by more than 10,200 metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2016, according to an annual report from San Antonio 2030 District, which is leading the effort. The initiative, led mostly by private-sector businesses such as downtown building owners, aims to achieve a 50% reduction - [SIXTY DAYS A YEAR ABOVE 100° - San Antonio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/sixty-days-a-year-above-100-san-antonio/) - Climate change debates aside, the raw numbers show San Antonio is becoming much hotter, much more often. What does this mean to our city, and to a state where nearly 40 percent of the labor force is working outside? Most people don’t realize it wasn’t always this hot here. When record-keeping in San Antonio started - [Almost every country in the world can power itself with renewable energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/almost-every-country-in-the-world-can-power-itself-with-renewable-energy/) - The country’s energy mix is under scrutiny. A report commissioned by Energy Secretary Rick Perry acknowledges that low natural gas prices—not renewables—are behind the recent closure of coal energy plants, and that the grid has managed to withstand the increasing presence of renewable energy. According to an unrelated study published this week in the journal - [A two-decade lobbying crusade by tax-exempt conservative charities fueled Trump's exit from the Paris Climate Accord](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-two-decade-lobbying-crusade-by-tax-exempt-conservative-charities-fueled-trumps-exit-from-the-paris-climate-accord/) - It's time to discredit the false choice between environmental protection and economic growth, that climate change is simply an ideological choice and giving government more authority to address it would stimulate a “regulatory onslaught,” damaging the U.S. economy and subvert human freedom. We must have the courage to come together and make changes to preserve - [Led by Congressman Lamar Smith, GOP coalition seeks to slow down push to new energy technology - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/led-by-congressman-lamar-smith-gop-coalition-seeks-to-slow-down-push-to-new-energy-technology-san-antonio-express-news/) - WASHINGTON — Over the past decade, the U.S. government has spent tens of billions of dollars to speed onto the market the energy technology that many believe is the future — from solar panels to industrial-size batteries to modernized nuclear reactors. “Building the new energy economy,” the U.S. Energy Department still proclaims on its Twitter - [A victory for Texas trees — and for local control](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-victory-for-texas-trees-and-for-local-control/) - When Gov. Abbott issued his call for a special legislative session this summer, he only included one environmental issue: eliminating local tree protection ordinances in over 110 Texas cities. This gave Texas environmentalists a unique opportunity to organize an all-hands-on-deck effort focused on defending Texas trees and local democracy. And you know what? We won. - [Mission Solar Energy's New President to Debut at Solar Power International - Mission Solar Energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/mission-solar-energys-new-president-to-debut-at-solar-power-international-mission-solar-energy/) - On June 12th, Jae Yang was appointed President of Mission Solar Energy. This new endeavor has become a source of passion and excitement for him. We sat down with Jae and chatted about the job, his expectations and his plans to take the Mission Solar Energy into the future. LAYERS OF EXPERIENCE Jae previously worked for - [CPS Energy bracing for changes posed by technology](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-energy-bracing-for-changes-posed-by-technology/) - With a welcoming by former Texas Legislative Representative and CPS Energy retiree, Joe Farias (pictured at the podium), CPS Energy President & CEO, Paula Gold Williams, delivered her State of the Energy update on Wednesday to a sold-out luncheon of local business leaders and elected officials. In partnership with the West San Antonio Chamber of - [Utility Helps Wean Vermonters From the Electric Grid](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/utility-helps-wean-vermonters-from-the-electric-grid/) - The program offers just one example of the continuing efforts at the local level to rethink a largely carbon-based power system. The initiatives are driven by financial advantages as well as environmental ones. Green Mountain’s chief executive, Mary Powell, sees the program here as the best way to please customers while making the system more - [Identify Anything, Anywhere, Instantly (Well, Almost) With the Newest iNaturalist Release -](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/identify-anything-anywhere-instantly-well-almost-with-the-newest-inaturalist-release/) - A new version of the California Academy of Sciences’ http://inaturalist.org/iNaturalist app uses artificial intelligence to offer immediate identifications for photos of any kind of wildlife. You can observe anywhere and ask the computer anything. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and it seems like it mostly works. It is completely astonishing. One - [CPS Energy and AACOG Partner to Better Serve San Antonio - CPS Energy Newsroom and Blog](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-energy-and-aacog-partner-to-better-serve-san-antonio-cps-energy-newsroom-and-blog/) - The Utility Will Coordinate Air Quality Data Collection Activities, Previously Handled by the Agency and Funded by the State CPS Energy has agreed to further partner with the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG), ensuring air quality data collection remains active at a half-dozen air monitoring stations across San Antonio and the surrounding area. While - [CPS Energy Grants UTSA $500,000 for Local Climate Research](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-energy-grants-utsa-500000-for-local-climate-research/) - A $500,000 grant from CPS Energy will allow researchers at University of Texas in San Antonio to dive into San Antonio’s climate inventory and, for the first time, develop the framework for a local climate action plan to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project was announced Tuesday, moments before Mayor Ron Nirenberg signed a - [San Antonio's Potential Use of Cement Manufacturing Biomimicry Tech](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonios-potential-use-of-cement-manufacturing-biomimicry-tech/) - With four major cement manufacturers in the area, is San Antonio ripe for using and developing carbon capture biomimicry tech to ward-off more than $1 billion in EPA non-attainment air quality and health costs? At least until these cement-making bacteria can build the cities of the future. The Algoland Carbon Capture Project in Sweden Uses Algae - [Draining the Swamp? Key EPA Appointee Was an Energy Lobbyist This Year, Senators Say](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/draining-the-swamp-key-epa-appointee-was-an-energy-lobbyist-this-year-senators-say/) - Even without conflicts of interest, is this Appointee really what we need in an already prone group of group thinkers? Two senators are challenging a Trump EPA appointee, saying her lobbying record appears to prevent her, under Trump’s own ethics order, from doing most of her job. Source: Draining the Swamp? Key EPA Appointee Was - [The Electric-Car Boom Is So Real Even Oil Companies Say It’s Coming](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-electric-car-boom-is-so-real-even-oil-companies-say-its-coming/) - Oil major Total SA says EVs will drive 30% of car sales Outlook is more bullish on EVs than most forecasters Electric cars are coming fast -- and that’s not just the opinion of carmakers anymore. Total SA, one of the world’s biggest oil producers, is now saying EVs may constitute almost a third of - [The Cult of Perma – Food and Farm Discussion Lab](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-cult-of-perma-food-and-farm-discussion-lab/) - Editor’s Note: I stumbled across this piece by Graham some time in 2013, not long after it was published, and it set off more than one lightbulb moment for me. Up to that time I’d considered permaculture an intriguing subculture. I had thought that it might be a place to look for ideas and innovations - [Exxon's Opposition to Climate Fraud Probes Gets Less Sympathy From NY Judge](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/exxons-opposition-to-climate-fraud-probes-gets-less-sympathy-from-ny-judge/) - It will be interesting to see how this all works out... A New York judge has signaled to lawyers for ExxonMobil that she is skeptical of their arguments to derail climate fraud investigations by the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts. Exxon's position had won the support of a judge in Texas whose rulings - [Energy is the new new internet](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-is-the-new-new-internet/) - At heart, the enernet is the foundation for smart-city tech, including the “Internet of Things,” distributed systems, interconnected backbones and networking technologies, EV-charging services and autonomous vehicles, to name a few. These technologies will drive dramatic change and force us to rethink our cities, municipal services and sectors like transportation, insurance, real estate and financial - [Clean Energy Momentum: Ranking State Progress (2017) | Union of Concerned Scientists](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/clean-energy-momentum-ranking-state-progress-2017-union-of-concerned-scientists/) - Is your state embracing clean energy? You might be surprised at which states are leading. Source: Clean Energy Momentum: Ranking State Progress (2017) | Union of Concerned Scientists - [RMI Outlet - Plug Into New Ideas](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/rmi-outlet-plug-into-new-ideas/) - RMI Outlet, Rocky Mountain Institute's blog, explores topics critical to RMI's mission to drive the efficient and restorative use of resources. Source: RMI Outlet - Plug Into New Ideas - [Architects Show Leadership in Addressing Climate Change](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/architects-show-leadership-in-addressing-climate-change/) - Architects have a big responsibility for the role the built environment plays in climate change. At the Grassroots 2017 Conference in Washington DC, the AIA, the country’s largest professional association and accrediting body of architects, released a commentary to reaffirm and clarify its existing position on climate change, showing how the Institute is doubling down - [eLab Accelerator Projects Sustain Hope for Clean Energy Innovation](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/elab-accelerator-projects-sustain-hope-for-clean-energy-innovation/) - Starting yesterday, the 2017 eLab Accelerator teams has convened at the Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah to accelerate their initiatives with the support of nationally renowned expert faculty and eLab’s specially trained facilitators. At Accelerator and beyond, projects from across the country are continuing to develop solutions for a transformed electricity system that will grow - [CPS Energy pursues clean energy plans despite Trump environmental order](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-energy-pursues-clean-energy-plans-despite-trump-environmental-order/) - President Donald Trump’s executive order Tuesday rolling back much of the Obama administration’s climate change policies won’t affect CPS Energy’s plans to reduce carbon emissions. “We at CPS Energy have been on a steady path to diversify and reduce the carbon output of our generation fleet, which is specifically important for our growing metropolitan community,” - [New study calls for U.S. solar policy reform | Stanford News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/new-study-calls-for-u-s-solar-policy-reform-stanford-news/) - Stanford solar energy researchers recommend that America and China work more closely together with each country capitalizing on its particular strengths. Source: New study calls for U.S. solar policy reform | Stanford News - [Could This Be the Most Efficient Solar Panel Ever?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/could-this-be-the-most-efficient-solar-panel-ever/) - Taking advantage of temperatures upwards of 1,000 Celsius, these hot solar cells could produce twice as much energy as the industry standard Source: Could This Be the Most Efficient Solar Panel Ever? | Innovation | Smithsonian - [Can Solar Plants Make Good Bird Habitat?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/can-solar-plants-make-good-bird-habitat/) - A proposed state law could turn Minnesota's solar gardens into actual gardens for native birds and pollinators. Source: Can Solar Plants Make Good Bird Habitat? | Audubon - [Why Capitalism Needs Conscious Leadership](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-capitalism-needs-conscious-leadership/) - Conscious capitalism offers a holistic approach that puts people and moral conscience at the center of business practices. Source: Why Capitalism Needs Conscious Leadership - [Paris Accord Could Make the World $19 Trillion Richer - Bloomberg](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/paris-accord-could-make-the-world-19-trillion-richer-bloomberg/) - Source: Paris Accord Could Make the World $19 Trillion Richer - Bloomberg - [Why Are Facts Not Effective With Climate Change Deniers?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-are-facts-not-effective-with-climate-change-deniers/) - Joe Hanson explains the psychology behind anti-science in a single video. Source: Why Are Facts Not Effective With Climate Change Deniers? - [Texas positioned to lead hydrogen revolution - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/texas-positioned-to-lead-hydrogen-revolution-san-antonio-express-news/) - hydrogen and oxygen from the air over a catalys Source: Texas positioned to lead hydrogen revolution - San Antonio Express-News - [The First Sustainable Urban Agrihood Brings Healthy, Fresh, Affordable Food to Residents and the Community](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-first-sustainable-urban-agrihood-brings-healthy-fresh-affordable-food-to-residents-and-the-community/) - Could fresh, healthy, affordable food be the future of urban neighborhood development? In Detroit, Michigan, “the first sustainable urban agrihood” in the U.S. centers around an edible garden, with easily accessible, affordable produce offered to neighborhood residents and the community. Each year, this urban farm provides fresh, free produce to 2,000 households within two square - [Sen. Menéndez Goes Solar, Calls for State Solar Incentives](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/sen-menendez-goes-solar-calls-for-state-solar-incentives/) - In an effort to promote renewable energy, State Sen. José Menéndez had solar panels installed on the roof of his Northside home Thursday. “On the one hand, I obviously feel good about leading by example, and not just with my words. But I wish that I wasn’t the first,” Menéndez said. “I wish that, as - [What is the Social Responsibility of Business?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/what-is-the-social-responsibility-of-business/) - What is the Social Responsibility of Business?Ever since Milton Friedman famously proclaimed “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits” (NYTimes 1970), pundits have pondered whether his purist interpretation was really the only way.Profit is certainly a lot easier to quantify than something like ‘happiness’, but the intangible benefits of good, honest business - [Tesla signs lease for I-10 showroom, its first in San Antonio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/tesla-signs-lease-for-i-10-showroom-its-first-in-san-antonio/) - Tesla has signed a lease for its first San Antonio showroom along Interstate 10 close to the Dominion, ending its struggle to establish a presence in the Alamo City. The Silicon Valley automaker has entered a lease with an affiliate of local commercial real estate firm Concord Properties for a building at 23011 W. Interstate - [Solar Embrace](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-embrace/) - More than a year ago, RMI announced it would focus on community-scale solar. Now, as we enable power purchase agreements (PPAs) at prices 40 percent below median bids, we are seeing increasing interest in community-scale solar, and we are expanding our efforts across the nation. Source: Solar Embrace - [3 Trump Targets: Here's What's at Stake](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/3-trump-targets-heres-whats-at-stake/) - President Trump signed another executive order on Friday aimed at eliminating regulations. The Washington Post has reported that the Trump administration may announce a number of executive orders in the coming days. The rumored targets—the Clean Power Plan, the Clean Water Rule and the federal coal leasing moratorium—protect our air and water, save lives and take action to stop climate disruption. By the numbers, - [Agency wants to make SA no-kill honey bee city](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/agency-wants-to-make-sa-no-kill-honey-bee-city-2/) - The American Honey Bee Protection Agency has a goal to make San Antonio a no-kill honey bee city. In a response to its plea, District 2 Councilman Alan Warrick reached out to the agency for its services. More News Headlines Bees may be busier this winter. The agency performed an extraction from the home of - [CPS Energy renews rooftop solar rebate program with $15M in funding](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-energy-renews-rooftop-solar-rebate-program-with-15m-in-funding/) - CPS Energy is renewing its rooftop solar rebate program with another $15 million in funding. CPS Chief Operating Officer Cris Eugster announced the program's renewal Monday afternoon during the city-owned utility company's board meeting. Under the new plan, CPS has set aside $9 million for residential projects and $6 million for commercial projects. Eugster said - [Agency wants to make SA no-kill honey bee city](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/agency-wants-to-make-sa-no-kill-honey-bee-city/) - The American Honey Bee Protection Agency has a goal to make San Antonio a no-kill honey bee city.In a response to its plea, District 2 Councilman Alan Warrick reached out to the agency for its services.More News Headlines Bees may be busier this winterThe agency performed an extraction from the home of an East Side - [H-E-B donates $1M to help construct Confluence Park](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/h-e-b-donates-1m-to-help-construct-confluence-park/) - The San Antonio River Foundation (SARF) received a generous $1 million gift from H-E-B to help construct Confluence Park. The donation will be received over the course of five years. "This generous gift from H-E-B caps a momentous year and marks a wonderful Valentine’s Day 2017 for Confluence Park,” Confluence Park Director Frates Seeligson said. - [CPS Energy Readies Old Power Plant For Nonprofit | Texas Public Radio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-energy-readies-old-power-plant-for-nonprofit-texas-public-radio/) - CPS announced its intent to create a clean energy center through an independent nonprofit a few years ago, but it's only now that things are starting to take shape. The EPIcenter nonprofit has an executive director. They recently chose an engineering firm. CPS will give the property over to EPIcenter this year, and that well - ['Chasing Methane' - Years of Living Dangerously](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/chasing-methane-years-living-dangerously/) - Should this be taken into account if we're going to spend money on infrastructure and current administration's energy policies? In 2016, the Obama Administration announced bold regulations to curb methane emissions. Now House Republicans are trying to undo those regulations. To keep these regulations in place, call your elected representative now at (202) 225-3121. To - [Thanks to Donald Trump, Corporate Social Responsibility May Have Just Became Mainstream](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/thanks-to-donald-trump-corporate-social-responsibility-just-became-mainstream/) - The unintended consequence of President Donald Trump’s travel ban is the birth of a new era of corporate responsibility. When the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) began to gain traction among mainstream consumers more than a decade ago, corporate champions of the movement were heralded for developing programs primarily focused on enhancing the greater - [Jimmy Carter's Short-Lived White House Solar Panels](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/jimmy-carters-short-lived-white-house-solar-panels/) - What took so long for solar power to return to the White House? In 1979, President Jimmy Carter installed 32 solar panels on the roof of the White House. Long before many Americans even knew what solar power was, Carter’s effort was an attempt to educate the nation on the benefits of alternative energy. (The - [Trump, Putin and the Pipelines to Nowhere](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/trump-putin-and-the-pipelines-to-nowhere/) - You can’t understand what Trump’s doing without understanding the “Carbon Bubble” American journalists, pundits and media executives have largely convinced themselves that climate change is not a serious political issue, because they think the polls tell them that. A majority of American voters regularly tell pollsters they don’t think climate change is a critically important - [Transforming Appalachia’s Coal-Powered Economy One Community At A Time](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/transforming-appalachias-coal-powered-economy-one-community-at-a-time/) - Grassroots organizations in coal states have been reaching out to people in coal communities — and seeking financial support from local, state, and federal governments — with initiatives to help ea… Conversation should be what's the best way to transition to renewable energy, not how to bring coal back. Perhaps we should also be having similar conversations about resiliency - [3 Reasons President-Elect Donald Trump Won’t Kill The Solar Industry](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/3-reasons-president-elect-donald-trump-wont-kill-the-solar-industry/) - Trump’s talk about coal and natural gas, and wind and solar expense (which isn’t true, by the way) may not lead to the end of renewable energy in the United States. In fact, solar likel… Source: 3 Reasons President-Elect Donald Trump Won’t Kill The Solar Industry | CleanTechnica - [Look Fast: Solar Is Blowing Past Coal...And Gas...And Wind](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/look-fast-solar-is-blowing-past-coal-and-gas-and-wind/) - Now, here’s a surprise. Wind power has been growing at a rapid clip, but it looks like solar is sneaking up from behind with a Negasonic Teenage Warhead-scale weapon in hand: it’s cheaper. In fact, according to data studied by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, solar power is on its way to becoming “the cheapest form - [Does Connecticut's Green Bank Hold the Secret to the Future of Clean Energy?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/does-connecticuts-green-bank-hold-the-secret-to-the-future-of-clean-energy/) - With the goal of getting clean energy development less dependent on government funds, the state of Connecticut's Green Bank may be the model for success in a Trump presidency. Want to see how it compares to the Texas PACE program? Here are the links: Texas PACE Authority and Keeping PACE in Texas Source: Does Connecticut's - [Six innovative solar systems that go beyond standard arrays](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/six-innovative-solar-systems-that-go-beyond-standard-arrays/) - Solar technology has skyrocketed in recent years, as new innovations pave the way for more affordable designs that generate clean energy in unique ways. We've branched far beyond the familiar solar panel, with new developments that experiment with different shapes and materials to maximize the clean energy potential of the sun. Engineers have been working - [Altman Z-Score Q3 2016: which PV manufacturers are financially most stable?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/altman-z-score-q3-2016-which-pv-manufacturers-are-financially-most-stable/) - In March this year we released the first Altman Z-Score on Sinovoltaics.com, outlining which Asian PV manufacturers are most likely to go into brankruptcy and which PV manufacturers come out strongest. Since March this year the PV market has changed significantly with an emphasize on oversupply in Q3 & Q4 (see Financial Post, PV-Tech etc.). - [Why Efficiency Is Now King in Rooftop Solar Energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-efficiency-is-now-king-in-rooftop-solar-energy/) - More and more companies are realizing that efficiency is key in rooftop solar. What makes the residential solar market unique, and sets it apart from very large-scale solar projects in particular, is that it's more sensitive to differences in solar-panel efficiency. The costs associated with installing solar on a roof are mostly outside of the - [Energy Efficiency Tips](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-efficiency-tips/) - There’s good reason to be energy efficient. For starters, you’re eligible for rebates and savings programs when you make qualified, energy-saving improvements to your home. Many of these upgrades also may be eligible for tax credits. What’s more, when you use less energy, you pay less too. To get started, complete the Do-It-Yourself Check-Up to - [Straight outta Lubbock: Scientist and TV station aim at ‘myths’ with new videos](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/straight-outta-lubbock-scientist-and-tv-station-aim-at-myths-with-new-videos/) - When the Canadian atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe moved to Lubbock 11 years ago to take a faculty position at Texas Tech University, she was well known and regarded in the field of climate-change research, but not too far beyond it. That quickly started to change, however, when Hayhoe added climate communicator to climate scientist as - [How to install solar panels on the roof of your home](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-to-install-solar-panels-on-the-roof-of-your-home/) - How to install solar panels on the roof of your home. A New York solar pro walks through the process of designing and installing a rooftop solar system in a historic district. Source: How to install solar panels on the roof of your home - Curbed - [3 Reasons We Can Feel Good about Where Energy Efficiency is Headed](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/3-reasons-we-can-feel-good-about-where-energy-efficiency-is-headed/) - Buildings can be big polluters: 70 percent of the world population will live in cities by 2050, adding 40 percent to the current world building stock. As energy-efficient structures develop in growing countries, the U.S. can help stay competitive by retrofitting its existing buildings. Plus, improving building efficiency can contribute to reductions in global CO2 - [UTSA researching battery that can store renewable energy | WOAI](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/utsa-researching-battery-that-can-store-renewable-energy-woai/) - SAN ANTONIO -- Right now professors and students at UTSA are conducting tests on a special battery that could help the nation when it comes to storing renewable energy. It's still early in the testing phase as a team of professors and students from UTSA figure out the role of flow batteries in a variety - [RFP for architects and invitation to bid for General Contractors | Irma Iris Duran, MBA | Pulse | LinkedIn](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/rfp-for-architects-and-invitation-to-bid-for-general-contractors-irma-iris-duran-mba-pulse-linkedin/) - The operation facelift program is looking for designers and general contractors to receive 2 year agreements. Please visit our page for more information on how to be awarded the contracts. Deadline RFP for Architects and General Contractors Source: RFP for architects and invitation to bid for General Contractors | Irma Iris Duran, MBA | Pulse - [As solar price drops, utility interest spurs growth in non-traditional markets | Utility Dive](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/as-solar-price-drops-utility-interest-spurs-growth-in-non-traditional-markets-utility-dive/) - It’s becoming a somewhat redundant story: Solar prices are continuing to fall, and utilities are developing more and more of the resource, especially on the utility-scale side of things. This is a fact highlighted by recent reports from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Titled “Tracking the Sun IX,” the first report shows that since 2015, - [SPI 2016 - KACO new energy, Inc. releases new revision of Ultraverter, lowers pricing | AltEnergyMag](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/spi-2016-kaco-new-energy-inc-releases-new-revision-of-ultraverter-lowers-pricing-altenergymag/) - San Antonio, TX: KACO new energy, one of the fastest growing solar companies in the North American utility-scale market, today announced that it is shipping an updated version of its residential MLPE solution, the blueplanet Ultraverter™ to an expanded distribution network. "The Ultraverter concept is an agile combination of several key attributes of competing concepts - [Upend the Tax Havens to Fund Clean Energy Revolution, Group Urges](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/upend-the-tax-havens-to-fund-clean-energy-revolution-group-urges/) - Two birds. One stone. How to recoup and put to good use the billions of dollars corporations and the super-wealthy hide from governments each year while also funding the renewable energy revolution scientists and experts say is necessary—and technologically possible—to combat the increasing threat of global warming and climate change? Source: Upend the Tax Havens - [Intro To Carbon Pricing (Video) | CleanTechnica](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/intro-to-carbon-pricing-video-cleantechnica/) - You’ve heard the phrase. Now learn the meaning. Carbon price: The price for avoided or released carbon dioxide (CO2) or CO2-equivalent emission permits. In many models that are used to assess the economic costs of mitigation, carbon prices are used as a proxy to represent the level of effort in mitigation policies. {IPCC Fifth Assessment - [Solar Power Does Work, Even Better Than Expected | CleanTechnica](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-power-does-work-even-better-than-expected-cleantechnica/) - One of the prices we have to pay for our ideological divide on renewable energy is that we have to read headlines like this, particularly in the Murdoch media: “Solar and wind power simply don’t work, not here, not anywhere”. It was written by the former chairman of a coal mining company, in case you were wondering. Solar doesn’t - [Space Age Solar Cells, Coming Soon To A Rooftop Near You](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/space-age-solar-cells-coming-soon-to-a-rooftop-near-you/) - A Swiss startup called Insolight has figured out how to take pricey, NASA-worthy solar cells and park them on your rooftop without busting your wallet. It’s a course being charted by several other companies and researchers around the world, but the folks at Insolight are confident that they’ll beat the competition to the market. Their - [Mission Solar Energy shifts business strategy to expand customer base to include installers, disbtributors - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/mission-solar-energy-shifts-business-strategy-to-expand-customer-base-to-include-installers-disbtributors-san-antonio-business-journal/) - San Antonio-based solar panel manufacturer Mission Solar Energy is shifting gears to drum up business among rooftop solar installers and distributors. Source: Mission Solar Energy shifts business strategy to expand customer base to include installers, disbtributors - San Antonio Business Journal - [OCI Solar affiliate Mission Solar Energy gaining independence from CPS Energy - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/oci-solar-affiliate-mission-solar-energy-gaining-independence-from-cps-energy-san-antonio-business-journal/) - Looking to stand on its own, Mission Solar Energy is among a vital corps of young San Antonio-based firms working to develop new pipelines independent of CPS Energy's solar farms. Source: OCI Solar affiliate Mission Solar Energy gaining independence from CPS Energy - San Antonio Business Journal - [Microsoft Corp. NRG Energy Inc. Primus Power Inc. and University of San Antonio work on battery technology - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/microsoft-corp-nrg-energy-inc-primus-power-inc-and-university-of-san-antonio-work-on-battery-technology-san-antonio-business-journal/) - As data centers continue to slurp massive gulps of electricity to power cloud computing, Microsoft is taking steps to reduce its draw on the grid — using San Antonio as a testing ground. Source: Microsoft Corp. NRG Energy Inc. Primus Power Inc. and University of San Antonio work on battery technology - San Antonio Business - [General Reference to Water Protection in City Plan Becomes Controversial. Because Developers. | The Daily | San Antonio Current](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/general-reference-water-protection-city-plan-becomes-controversial-developers-daily-san-antonio-current/) - With council set to debate and vote on the new plan next week, one minor conflict has emerged over general language that deals with some of the city's basic sustainability measures, like ensuring groundwater protection. And that appears to be because at least some real estate and development interests have threatened to withdraw support for - [Being Smart About Solar - BuildSAGreen.org - Build San Antonio Green](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/being-smart-about-solar-buildsagreen-org-build-san-antonio-green/) - Before going solar…. consider these points So…. you’re thinking of going solar. Congratulations! It’s a big step, and a worthy one. By embracing solar power, you help reduce the load on our local energy grid, which cuts down on air polluting emissions and helps us avoid or delay the need to build another power plant. - [Green Spaces Alliance responds to proposed Brackenridge Park Master Plan | San Antonio, Texas Local Community News & Journalism](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/green-spaces-alliance-responds-to-proposed-brackenridge-park-master-plan-san-antonio-texas-local-community-news-journalism/) - A new master plan for San Antonio's Brackenridge Park has drawn hundreds of residents to recent public hearings, all but unanimously in opposition to the proposal. Many residents, some claiming generational attachment to the park, are concerned that the changes will ruin a place they cherish. This video is from the public hearing hosted by - [From Sunshine to Free Fuel](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/sunshine-free-fuel/) - Put a sunbeam in your tank. For owners of electric cars, the William R. Sinkin Eco Centro has two Electronic Vehicle (EV) charging stations on their parking lot available to the public. The EV charging stations are solar powered – getting energy from a renewable source that is off the grid. And best of all, - [Janine Benyus: What Can Today's Designers Learn From Nature?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/janine-benyus-what-can-todays-designers-learn-from-nature/) - Science writer Janine Benyus believes innovators should look to nature when solving a design problem. She says the natural world is full of ideas for making things waterproof, solar-powered and more. Source: Janine Benyus: What Can Today's Designers Learn From Nature? - [The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution — invironment — Medium](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/seas-will-save-us-army-ocean-farmers-starting-economic-revolution-invironment-medium/) - I’m a fisherman who dropped out of high school in 1986 at the age of 14. Over my lifetime, I’ve spent many nights in jail. I’m an epileptic. I’m asthmatic. I don’t even know how to swim. This is my story. It’s a story of ecological redemption. The blue-green economy Our goal is to build - [To Lease or To Own: Simplified Solar Calculator | Institute for Local Self-Reliance](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/to-lease-or-to-own-simplified-solar-calculator-institute-for-local-self-reliance/) - Now simplified, the new solar lease calculator is here. Just enter in your zip code, electric utility, and solar array size. Then set the terms of your loan or lease to see how solar ownership stacks up against third-party options. Source: To Lease or To Own: Simplified Solar Calculator | Institute for Local Self-Reliance - [How fast can we transition to a low-carbon energy system?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-fast-can-we-transition-to-a-low-carbon-energy-system/) - Starting later this month, the world’s nations will convene in traumatized Paris to hammer out commitments to slow down global climate change. Any long-term solution will require “decarbonizing” the world energy economy – that is, shifting to power sources that use little or no fossil fuel. How fast can this happen, and what could we - [Moving to Renewable Energy Would Boost Disposable Income And Create A Million Jobs](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/moving-to-renewable-energy-would-boost-disposable-income-and-create-a-million-jobs/) - A new report has found that transitioning to a clean energy economy would be an economic boon to the United States, increasing employment, reducing costs to consumers, and benefiting investors.The report, from NextGen Climate America, showed that investment in efficiency, renewable sources of electricity, and fuel switching — such as moving from fossil fuel-powered cars - [How Cuba Achieves Food Security Without Destroying Its Environment](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-cuba-achieves-food-security-without-destroying-its-environment/) - Cuba is attracting global attention for developing cheap and eco-friendly technologies that have helped the country reach an unexpectedly high level of food security without damaging the environment. Given the environmental and financial challenges the world is facing, the Cuban model—built after the collapse of the Soviet Union—is seen as offering potential solutions to many - [From Oregon to Johannesburg, micro-hydropower offers a solution for drought hit cities | Guardian Sustainable Business | The Guardian](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/from-oregon-to-johannesburg-micro-hydropower-offers-a-solution-for-drought-hit-cities-guardian-sustainable-business-the-guardian/) - How quickly will SAWS and CPS use micro-hydropower to be more profitable and increase their value to San Antonio residents? To see how closely water and energy are linked, you only have to look at the west coast of the US, where four years of severe drought have led to historically low levels in water - [Making Ocean Water Drinkable Is Much Harder Than You Think](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/making-ocean-water-drinkable-is-much-harder-than-you-think/) - When Dean Spatz began his introduction-to-engineering-design class as a sophomore at Dartmouth in 1963, reverse osmosis, the process of filtering water through a semipermeable membrane, was only four years old. Working with a team, Spatz used RO to create a prototype for turning undrinkable brackish water into a potable liquid. The commercial applications were obvious, - [Solar Monopoly Or Democracy? CPS To Shift SA Solar Landscape | News Etc. | San Antonio Current](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-monopoly-or-democracy-cps-to-shift-sa-solar-landscape-news-etc-san-antonio-current/) - The sun is ripe for harvesting in San Antonio. The numbers bear it out: San Antonio ranks as one of the nation's top 10 cities for solar production and solar energy potential. But solar in SA will soon change. Funds for the industry-leading rebate from CPS Energy, which engendered so much growth, may evaporate. And - [▶ The Death Of Bees Explained – Parasites, Poison and Humans - YouTube](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/▶-the-death-of-bees-explained-parasites-poison-and-humans-youtube/) - In 2015 the bees are still dying in masses. Which at first seems not very important until you realize that one third of all food humans consume would disappear with them. Millions could starve. The foes bees face are truly horrifying – some are a direct consequence of human greed. We need to help our - [▶ Cory Doctorow - The Internet of Things That Do What You Tell Them - YouTube](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/▶-cory-doctorow-the-internet-of-things-that-do-what-you-tell-them-youtube/) - From Solid Conference 2015: From “ecosystem” strategies to the war on terror, from the copyright wars to the subprime lending industry, it seems like everyone wants to build an Internet of Treacherous Things whose primary loyalty is to someone other than the people with whose lives they are intimately entwined.Your gesture-driven, voice-controlled future is a - [Could This Happen For Texas Towns? A Small Iowa Town Embraces Energy Independence](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-small-iowa-town-embraces-energy-independence/) - How does a single streetscape project turn into a community-wide energy independence effort? Tiny Bloomfield, Iowa, discovered the answer with the help of RMI’s eLab Accelerator. A team from Bloomfield attended the 2015 Accelerator at Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah, and their story is a surprising one with big implications for small towns across America. - [Stanford engineers develop state-by-state plan to convert U.S. to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2050 | Stanford News Release](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/stanford-engineers-develop-state-by-state-plan-to-convert-u-s-to-100-clean-renewable-energy-by-2050-stanford-news-release/) - One potential way to combat ongoing climate change, eliminate air pollution mortality, create jobs and stabilize energy prices involves converting the world's entire energy infrastructure to run on clean, renewable energy.This is a daunting challenge. But now, in a new study, Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford, and colleagues, - [Scientists Start $150 Billion Program to Cut Clean Energy Costs - Renewable Energy World](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/scientists-start-150-billion-program-to-cut-clean-energy-costs-renewable-energy-world/) - LONDON — Scientists and economists including BP Plc’s former chief executive officer, John Browne, are inviting governments to join a $150 billion program that aims to make clean energy cheaper than coal. The 10-year plan, known as the Global Apollo Programme to Combat Climate Change, will fund research into renewables, power storage and smart-grid technologies - [France Declares All New Rooftops Must Be Topped With Plants Or Solar Panels | CSGlobe](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/france-declares-all-new-rooftops-must-be-topped-with-plants-or-solar-panels-csglobe/) - A new law recently passed in France mandates that all new buildings that are built in commercial zones in France must be partially covered in either plants or solar panels.Green roofs, as they are called, have an isolating effect which helps to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat a building during the winter - [France to force big supermarkets to give unsold food to charities | World news | The Guardian](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/france-to-force-big-supermarkets-to-give-unsold-food-to-charities-world-news-the-guardian/) - French supermarkets will be banned from throwing away or destroying unsold food and must instead donate it to charities or for animal feed, under a law set to crack down on food waste.The French national assembly voted unanimously to pass the legislation as France battles an epidemic of wasted food that has highlighted the divide - [Meet The Startup That Wants To Make Vertical Farming Mainstream | Co.Exist | ideas + impact](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/meet-the-startup-that-wants-to-make-vertical-farming-mainstream-co-exist-ideas-impact/) - Newark, New Jersey is about to get a giant vertical farm that produces millions of pounds of greens for local customers. A vacant steel factory in Newark is turning into the world's largest-producing vertical farm. After it begins running later this year, the farm's indoor system of modular, stacked trays will grow around 2 million - [States That Raised Minimum Wage See Faster Job Growth, Report Says : The Two-Way : NPR](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/states-that-raised-minimum-wage-see-faster-job-growth-report-says-the-two-way-npr/) - New data released by the Department of Labor shows that raising the minimum wage in some states does not appear to have had a negative impact on job growth, contrary to what critics said would happen.In a report on Friday, the 13 states that raised their minimum wages on Jan. 1 have added jobs at - [One Man Holds A Patent That Could Change The World](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/one-man-holds-a-patent-that-could-crush-monsanto-change-the-world/) - This may be some of the most important information we ever share here. What you are about to read holds tremendous potential to radically change the entire world in many positive ways. In 2006 a patent was granted to a man named Paul Stamets. Even though Paul is the world’s leading mycologist, his patent has - [Big Oil Is About to Lose Control of the Auto Industry - Bloomberg Business](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/big-oil-is-about-to-lose-control-of-the-auto-industry/) - A pollution-free revolution is coming While the U.S. pats itself on the back for the riches flowing from fracking wells, an upheaval in clean energy is quietly loosening the oil industry's grip on the automotive industry. Presentations by analysts at Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) this week pick away at the idea that supply alone is behind the plunge - [Who should profit from solar energy? - Grist.org](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/who-should-profit-from-solar-energy-grist-org/) - In the ongoing wars over solar energy, one power company is consistently painted as the archetypal, mustache-twirling nemesis of clean electricity: Arizona Public Service. So you might be surprised to learn that this same company is about to become a big new producer of rooftop solar power. APS is an unlikely solar patron: In the - [Three companies file bid for CPS Energy's rooftop solar program - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/three-companies-file-bid-for-cps-energys-rooftop-solar-program-san-antonio-business-journal/) - Three companies have filed a bid with CPS Energy to install rooftop solar panels on homes and businesses across the municipally owned utility company's service area.CPS Energy issued an RFP for the solar power program earlier this year but set a March 6 deadline.An open records request filed by the San Antonio Business Journal reveals - [Fossil Fuels Just Lost the Race Against Renewables - Bloomberg Business](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/fossil-fuels-just-lost-the-race-against-renewables-bloomberg-business/) - The race for renewable energy has passed a turning point. The world is now adding more capacity for renewable power each year than coal, natural gas, and oil combined. And there's no going back. The shift occurred in 2013, when the world added 143 gigawatts of renewable electricity capacity, compared with 141 gigawatts in new - [What if companies and their buildings actually enhanced ecosystems? | GreenBiz](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/what-if-companies-and-their-buildings-actually-enhanced-ecosystems-greenbiz/) - What if building codes actually required new projects to enhance a certain number of ecosystem services — such as sequestering carbon, building topsoil, enhancing pollination, increasing biodiversity or purifying water and air? Is it possible that a city could be functionally indistinguishable from the wild landscape around it? And what if companies ultimately built factories - [Living on Earth: Greening the Tea Party](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/living-on-earth-greening-the-tea-party/) - There’s increasing environmental awareness among some Tea Party members who see conservation as a conservative value. The Texas Observer’s Carl Lindemann reports that some southern Tea Party members label themselves “green conservatives,” advocating that clean energy can work within the free market system, and help alleviate national security concerns. via Living on Earth: Greening the - [Habitats for humanity: Why our cities need to be ecosystems, too | Grist](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/habitats-for-humanity-why-our-cities-need-to-be-ecosystems-too-grist/) - The whole better-greener-more-awesome-cities movement has a problem: We haven’t found a good name for it. Sustainable cities! The term brings to mind such mundanity as energy audits and transit routes. Resilient cities! The notion requires us to consider, first, what horrible shit is coming down the pike. Carbon-neutral cities! Ugh. Don’t get me started on - [Incredible new system can generate electricity from living plants | Minds](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/incredible-new-system-can-generate-electricity-from-living-plants-minds/) - According to an article on Inhabitat.com, Dutch start-up called Plant-e has developed a way to use living plants as a continuous source of clean energy – all that’s needed is a light source, carbon dioxide, water, and, of course, a field or patch of plants. The system works best in wetlands or watery fields like rice paddies, but it - [Why More Tea Partyers Are Rallying Behind Solar : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-more-tea-partyers-are-rallying-behind-solar-greentech-media/) - For some conservatives, solar is a big green boondoggle promoted by a liberal president to benefit rich environmentalists. But for a growing number of libertarians and conservatives, solar is seen as a tool for promoting competition in electricity markets and empowering consumers. via Why More Tea Partyers Are Rallying Behind Solar : Greentech Media. - [San Antonio's new energy economy to attract more companies - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonios-new-energy-economy-to-attract-more-companies-san-antonio-business-journal/) - San Antonio's new energy economy is expected to attract more companies to the Alamo City, according to participants at an electrical engineering conference. More than 600 electrical engineers from 21 countries gathered at the Marriott Rivercenter on Monday morning for the "Life of a Transformer" seminar. The week-long event will feature technical discussions on managing - [ConEdison Development moves into San Antonio solar energy market - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/conedison-development-moves-into-san-antonio-solar-energy-market-san-antonio-business-journal/) - ConEdison Development is the latest player to move into the San Antonio's booming solar energy market. The New York-based company bought two solar farms that will supply power to CPS Energy, San Antonio's municipally owned utility. ConEdison Development now owns and operates the Alamo 4 solar farm in Brackettville and the Alamo 3 solar farm - [Portland Just Installed Water Pipes That Generate Electricity! | True Activist](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/portland-just-installed-water-pipes-that-generate-electricity-true-activist/) - Lucid Energyportlands-new-pipes, a Portland-based energy company, has come up with a brilliant idea to harness electricity from the water that flows through a city’s pipes. Small turbines are installed into the pipes which send the energy collected from the flowing water into a power generator. “It’s pretty rare to find a new source of energy - [San Antonio takes different tack on solar energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-takes-different-tack-on-solar-energy/) - San Antonio is one of the leading cities for solar energy in the United States, with photovoltaic systems on nearly 2,500 roofs and a solar farm in the works that will power the equivalent of 70,000 homes. Leading the effort is Doyle Beneby, the CEO of the city-owned utility, CPS Energy, which not only instituted - [The business case for improving human lives: David Kiu | News | Eco-Business | Asia Pacific](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-business-case-for-improving-human-lives-david-kiu-news-eco-business-asia-pacific/) - Helping deliver on sustainable social development outcomes that drive human progress should be the topmost priority for businesses, says David Kiu, vice president of sustainable business and communications, Unilever. In the pursuit of profit, companies often lose sight of environmental or social concerns; but to thrive in the 21st century, these concerns should not be an - [Picarro Gas Leak Detection Technology](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/picarro-gas-leak-detection-technology/) - Would anyone be interested in supporting a crowd-funding project to bring this technology to San Antonio and SouthTexas Region? Picarro is a leading provider of solutions to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations, trace gases and stable isotopes across many scientific applications, along with the energy and utilities markets. Picarro's Michael Woelk on New Emission Mapping - [Bridges to New Solar Business Models](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/bridges-to-new-solar-business-models/) - Creating a sustainable long-term distributed photovoltaic (DPV) market will require aligning the interests of utilities, solar companies, technology providers, and customers. Aligning those interests does not mean discarding the business models that have served the solar market until now. Rather, it means enhancing legacy solar business models by creating an expanded value pool—one that makes - [The Business Case for Deep-energy Retrofits - retrofit](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-business-case-for-deep-energy-retrofits-retrofit/) - Commercial building deep-energy retrofits provide substantially greater energy savings—often reducing a building’s energy consumption by up to 50 percent—than traditional retrofits. Yet they offer more than just a low utility bill. When planned and executed properly, a deep retrofit can yield improved employee health, productivity and satisfaction; bolstered sustainability leadership and reputation; access to tax, - [Bringing Shared Solar to Scale](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/bringing-shared-solar-to-scale/) - What happens when you really want solar but the obstacles seem too great? You may not have a suitable space. Or there may be a tree blocking your roof. Or you live in a condominium where you don’t have your own roof. This is where promising approaches for increasing customer access, such as shared solar, - [The huge challenges and opportunities of the Circular Economy - Fortune](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-huge-challenges-and-opportunities-of-the-circular-economy-fortune/) - If we carry on using the Earth’s resources at the current rate of increase, we’ll need three planets by 2050. But rethinking the way we organize global production and consumption, and the new technologies and business models required, present one of the biggest business opportunities of the next decade. The core challenge for the global - [Shell climate advisor David Hone talks with CCL about carbon pricing - Citizens' Climate Lobby](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/shell-climate-advisor-david-hone-talks-with-ccl-about-carbon-pricing-citizens-climate-lobby/) - For a while now, we’ve been hearing that big oil companies have assigned an internal price on carbon in anticipation of societal response to global warming. Some companies, like Shell, have come out publicly for carbon pricing, which might seem counterintuitive to the casual observer. To wrap our arms around the oil companies’ perspective on - [A 100-year-old house plugs in](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-100-year-old-house-plugs-in/) - On a damp winter day in Portland, Ore., a pale mint house from the turn of the century blinks awake in an instant. A black glass orb affixed to the wall perfects the air temperature as a another sleek black eye watches out the window. Registering my presence, a glowing blue keypad suddenly appears in - [Kochs and Walmart Clan Wage Dirty War to Stop You From Putting Solar Panels on Your Home | Alternet](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/kochs-and-walmart-clan-wage-dirty-war-to-stop-you-from-putting-solar-panels-on-your-home-alternet/) - Say it ain't so Joe! A new rooftop solar system is installed every three minutes in the U.S., up from one every 80 minutes just eight short years ago. If this pace continues to accelerate or even just holds steady, it will not be long before solar panels become visible, if not ubiquitous, in many - [Kraftwerk Is A Power Plant That Fits In The Palm Of Your Hand | TechCrunch](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/kraftwerk-is-a-power-plant-that-fits-in-the-palm-of-your-hand-techcrunch/) - It looks and acts like a battery pack but kraftwerk is actually the first hand-held fuel cell generator that can regenerate energy in less than 3 seconds. And it can power all your mobile devices for weeks. kraftwerk, which translates to “power station” in German, is the product of eZelleron, an engineering team that spun - [San Antonio's New Energy Economy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonios-new-energy-economy/) - Turning innovation into economic development CPS Energy’s New Energy Economy (NEE) is built on partnerships with companies who share our belief in clean energy, innovation and energy efficiency. Since 2011, CPS Energy has worked with a number of partners to turn those principles into economic development while protecting our environment and helping our customers use - [With Caveats, Solar San Antonio Board Supports CPS Energy Solar Leasing Plan](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/with-caveats-solar-san-antonio-board-supports-cps-energy-solar-leasing-plan/) - Solar San Antonio‘s board released a resolution Tuesday that supports the preliminary concepts of a solar leasing program proposed by CPS Energy in September. While Solar San Antonio (SSA) Board approval or support is not required for CPS Energy to move forward on policies, SSA has become a strong voice of the local solar industry - [For 'Eco Flippers,' There's Green in Foreclosed Homes - Businessweek](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/for-eco-flippers-theres-green-in-foreclosed-homes-businessweek/) - When Christine Fisk toured a foreclosed home in Phoenix that had been renovated to be more energy-efficient, she wasn’t sold on its environmental benefits. But the two-bedroom bungalow was just minutes from her office and in good shape, so the financial adviser bought it for $150,000. A year in, Fisk is a believer: Her last - [FOCUS | How the U.S. Can Sustainably Become the World's Top Economy Again](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/focus-how-the-u-s-can-sustainably-become-the-worlds-top-economy-again/) - hina has overtaken the U.S. as the world’s top economy. But in taking a few examples from China, as well as investing in jobs that stay in America and taking steps to insure economic stability for the majority of American workers, the U.S. can come out on top again. And we can do it without - [Cycling Is Creating More Jobs in Europe Than Automakers Are in the U.S. | TakePart](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cycling-is-creating-more-jobs-in-europe-than-automakers-are-in-the-u-s-takepart/) - Want to lower greenhouse gas emissions, get fit, and create new jobs? Ride a bike. That’s the finding of the first comprehensive study on Europe’s cycling industry, which details a cycling economy that employs more than 655,000 people in industries such as retail, manufacturing, infrastructure investment, and tourism. On just two wheels, the industry is - [Why Elon Musk's Batteries Scare the Hell Out of the Electric Company - Bloomberg](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-elon-musks-batteries-scare-the-hell-out-of-the-electric-company-bloomberg/) - Climate: Now or Never Here’s why something as basic as a battery both thrills and terrifies the U.S. utility industry. At a sagebrush-strewn industrial park outside of Reno, Nevada, bulldozers are clearing dirt for Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA)’s battery factory, projected to be the world’s largest. Tesla’s founder, Elon Musk, sees the $5 billion facility - [While You Were Getting Worked Up Over Oil Prices, This Just Happened to Solar - Bloomberg](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/while-you-were-getting-worked-up-over-oil-prices-this-just-happened-to-solar-bloomberg/) - Every time fossil fuels get cheaper, people lose interest in solar deployment. That may be about to change. After years of struggling against cheap natural gas prices and variable subsidies, solar electricity is on track to be as cheap or cheaper than average electricity-bill prices in 47 U.S. states -- in 2016, according to a - [Leaked: The Oil Lobby's Conspiracy to Kill off California's Climate Law - Businessweek](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/leaked-the-oil-lobbys-conspiracy-to-kill-off-californias-climate-law-businessweek/) - You remember Fillmore. He’s the resident hippie of Radiator Springs in the Pixar blockbuster Cars. Much to the chagrin of his neighbor, Sarge the Army Jeep, Fillmore greets each new day with Jimi Hendrix’s Woodstock rendition of A Star Spangled Banner—“respect the classics, man”—and is quick with a conspiracy theory about why biofuels never stood - [Solar has won. Even if coal were free to burn, power stations couldn't compete | Giles Parkinson | Comment is free | The Guardian](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-has-won-even-if-coal-were-free-to-burn-power-stations-couldnt-compete-giles-parkinson-comment-is-free-the-guardian/) - Last week, for the first time in memory, the wholesale price of electricity in Queensland fell into negative territory – in the middle of the day. For several days the price, normally around $40-$50 a megawatt hour, hovered in and around zero. Prices were deflated throughout the week, largely because of the influence of one - [A Much Cheaper Grid Battery Comes to Market | MIT Technology Review](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-much-cheaper-grid-battery-comes-to-market-mit-technology-review/) - A new kind of battery that stores energy from solar and wind power cheaply and cleanly has hit the market. It is by far the cheapest of a new generation of large, long-lived batteries that could make it possible to rely heavily on intermittent, renewable energy sources. Aquion Energy, a company spun out of Carnegie - [Beehives Atop The Omni Colonnade Rooftop Are Set To Earn Their Keep | Texas Public Radio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/beehives-atop-the-omni-colonnade-rooftop-are-set-to-earn-their-keep-texas-public-radio/) - The Omni San Antonio Hotel at the Colonnade is now host to some unusual guests and of all places - on their rooftop. Although they are now, beecoming, local residents. Back in September, Walter Schumacher with the American Honeybee Protection Agency, from Austin, removed 150,000 bees from Norma Ramon's near North West side attic. He collected - [▶ Distributed Urban Agriculture | Mitch Hagney | TEDxSanAntonio - YouTube](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/▶-distributed-urban-agriculture-mitch-hagney-tedxsanantonio-youtube/) - This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. While the majority of the population now lives in urban areas, the vast majority of our food still comes from far distant rural farms using increasingly destructive strategies to maximize their yield. All of a sudden, however, technology and the - [Renewables & Energy Efficiency Responsible For 70% Of CO2 Drop](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/renewables-energy-efficiency-responsible-for-70-of-co2-drop/) - Renewable energy development and implemented energy efficiency measures are responsible for 70% of the the drop in US carbon dioxide emissions seen since 2007 (when a slow decline began), according to a new report from Greenpeace. The findings stand in contrast to some of the arguments put out there by detractors of renewable energy — - [US Named Global Leader in Wind Production as Industry Fights for Tax Credit Extension](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/us-named-global-leader-in-wind-production-as-industry-fights-for-tax-credit-extension/) - Massachusetts, USA -- While China boasts the most installed wind capacity, the U.S. can now push that statement aside and claim the throne for what arguably matters most — wind energy production. According to a new report from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the U.S. is now the global leader in wind energy production, - [Reinventing Fire: Electricity - YouTube](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/reinventing-fire-electricity-youtube/) - Reinventing Fire: Electricity - YouTube. - [10 Reasons Renewable Energy Can Save the Planet » EcoWatch](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/10-reasons-renewable-energy-can-save-the-planet-ecowatch/) - As the world’s leading climate scientists finalize the latest and most comprehensive report on climate change and ways to tackle it, a key question is: What is new? What has changed since the release of the UN climate panel’s last Assessment Report (AR4) in 2007? On the “solutions” side, the answer is pretty straightforward: Nuclear - [Want everyone else to buy into environmentalism? Never say “Earth” | Grist](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/want-everyone-else-to-buy-into-environmentalism-never-say-earth-grist/) - For over three decades, David Fenton has played an unusual role in the environmental movement: marketing it. The company he founded, Fenton Communications, has worked with everyone from Nelson Mandela to MoveOn.org. It recently managed an anti-fracking campaign for Yoko Ono (fracking, it promised, would ruin New York’s groundwater, and therefore its bagels and pizza). - [SoCal Edison signs contracts for 250 MW of energy storage | Utility Dive](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/socal-edison-signs-contracts-for-250-mw-of-energy-storage-utility-dive/) - Dive Brief: Southern California Edison (SCE) has signed contracts for 2,221 MW of power from new resources to meet it customers’ long-term electricity needs, including 250 MW of storage capacity, Greentech Media reports. It is the first time SCE has contracted with energy storage projects through a competitive solicitation. The utility was required to seek - [VVWRA to unveil biogas facility - News - HesperiaStar.com - Hesperia, CA](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/vvwra-to-unveil-biogas-facility-news-hesperiastar-com-hesperia-ca/) - VICTORVILLE — Renewable-energy enthusiasts from all reaches of the nation will visit Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority’s main treatment plant later this week to witness the first carbon-neutral facility of its kind in North America. Teaming with Anaergia Inc. of Burlington, Ontario, Canada, VVWRA has retrofitted an out-of-commission anaerobic digester, giving it new life through - [Transparency About Fracking Chemicals Remains Elusive | WSKG](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/transparency-about-fracking-chemicals-remains-elusive-wskg/) - By Katie Colaneri Listen to this 5 minute 28 second report Transparency about tracking chemicals remains elusive. This is a story about a place where Big Drilling meets Big Data in website called “FracFocus.” The site is run by an industry-supported non-profit called the “Groundwater Protection Council,” a group of state regulators who oversee water - [Solar Grid Parity In All 50 US States By 2016, Predicts Deutsche Bank](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-grid-parity-in-all-50-us-states-by-2016-predicts-deutsche-bank/) - Rooftop solar PV will reach grid parity in 50 US states by 2016 – up from just 10 now – setting the scene for a dramatic increase in the uptake in household and commercial rooftop solar in the world’s biggest economy. That’s the prediction of Vishal Shah, the leading solar industry analyst at Deutsche Bank, - [How to Breathe New Life Into Sustainability To Build Your Brand And Business](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-to-breathe-new-life-into-sustainability-to-build-your-brand-and-business/) - Sustainability is a bittersweet term in that it embodies one of the most transformative forces in business today and yet at the same time its very familiarity has led to some world-weariness with the topic. Some say that is because so much has been written about sustainability in the last few years that it has - [Zero Waste: Closer than You Think](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/zero-waste-closer-than-you-think/) - The Zero Waste Solution: Untrashing the Planet One Community at a Time by Paul Connett (Chelsea Green 2013) is about 100% waste recovery and reuse, the new gold standard in recycling. Connett’s new book summarizes the state of play of the zero waste movement in local communities around the world. His detailed descriptions of existing - [Zero Waste: ‘Nil to Landfill’ Is Now a Practical Goal - Knowledge@Wharton](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/zero-waste-nil-to-landfill-is-now-a-practical-goal-knowledgewharton/) - The push to divert virtually all material from landfills and incinerators is strongest in Europe, but it has also gained a foothold in the U.S. Zero waste goals are increasingly being embraced by progressive communities and companies that see value in turning waste streams into profit streams. And with more than 70 extended producer responsibility - [No, the End of Oil and Gas Fracking Is Not Near. What Does That Mean for Cleantech? : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/no-the-end-of-oil-and-gas-fracking-is-not-near-what-does-that-mean-for-cleantech-greentech-media/) - In mid-September, the U.S. government revised its estimates for U.S. oil production upward once again. Boosted by increases in tight oil from shale formations in North Dakota and Texas, America could soon surpass its previous domestic production peak hit in 1970. At the same time, U.S. natural gas production, also driven by fracking, hit an - [The Utility Business Model: Evolution or Revolution? : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-utility-business-model-evolution-or-revolution-greentech-media/) - Recently, New York became the center of attention in the electricity sector after announcing a plan to reform distribution utilities in the state and create a model for "utility 2.0." Over the last four months, regulators, utilities and other stakeholders have been hashing out the details. The end goal will be to create new rate - [Will Stem’s Battery Systems Combined With Kyocera’s Solar Boost Energy Storage Adoption? : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/will-stems-battery-systems-combined-with-kyoceras-solar-boost-energy-storage-adoption-greentech-media/) - The convergence of rooftop solar PV and behind-the-meter batteries continues. On Tuesday, Japanese solar module giant Kyocera announced it has teamed up with Stem, a startup that’s installed about 6 megawatts of behind-the-meter lithium-ion batteries, to “offer an integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage solution for commercial power users.” Under the non-exclusive agreement, Stem - [Solar Power on the Rise: The Technologies and Policies behind a Booming Energy Sector (2014) | Union of Concerned Scientists](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-power-on-the-rise-the-technologies-and-policies-behind-a-booming-energy-sector-2014-union-of-concerned-scientists/) - Solar power generates electricity with no global warming pollution, no fuel costs, and no risks of fuel price spikes, and has the potential to help move the country toward cleaner, reliable, and affordable sources of electricity. Small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, typically on rooftops, account for the majority of solar installations, while large-scale PV systems - [The Devil Is In the Details (And So Is the Solution)](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-devil-is-in-the-details-and-so-is-the-solution/) - Assessing the benefits and costs of distributed solar PV Earlier this month, the decision of APS—Arizona’s largest electric utility—to propose two major changes to its net metering program, one which would do away with the program entirely, has become the latest lightning rod fueling the growing tension between utilities and solar PV. In California, there - [Why the Net Energy Metering Debate Misses the Point](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-the-net-energy-metering-debate-misses-the-point/) - Bundled, Block, Volumetric Rates are the Barrier to Unleashing DER Innovation It’s no secret that net energy metering (NEM) is a controversial topic in the electricity world these days. Customers love the way it helps solar PV offset their utility bill and adds clean energy to their home or business. Some solar advocates argue it - [Austin’s Solar Tariff Newly Incorporates RMI’s Energy Price Hedge Recommendation](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/austins-solar-tariff-newly-incorporates-rmis-energy-price-hedge-recommendation/) - Renewables scored a major victory recently in the natural gas heartland that is Texas. In a resolution adopted by the Austin City Council on August 28, the city declared solar energy its default generation resource, in part noting “that solar energy represents a cost-competitive means of securing clean peak power hedging against the volatility of - [Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in U.S. Schools Report | SEIA](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/brighter-future-a-study-on-solar-in-u-s-schools-report-seia/) - The impressive and precipitous rise of the U.S. solar industry is well documented. As of the writing of this report, total installed solar electric capacity neared 16 gigawatts (GW), providing enough solar electricity to power over 3.2 million average U.S. households. By the end of 2014, this figure is expected to surpass 20 GW- more - [Solar Continues Trumping Fossil Fuel Pricing, With More Innovations To Come](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-continues-trumping-fossil-fuel-pricing-with-more-innovations-to-come/) - Solar Continues Trumping Fossil Fuel Pricing, With More Innovations To Come Solar power has come a long way in a short period of time. Just five years ago, the bulk of the energy community viewed it as being unreliable, expensive and difficult to source. Without massive government subsidies, utilities generally shunned solar, sticking with more - [Show Me the [Efficiency] Money — Solutions Journal Summer 2014 — Medium](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/show-me-the-efficiency-money-solutions-journal-summer-2014-medium/) - Five real estate executives weigh in on what it will take to unlock $1.4 trillion in net energy savings through commercial building efficiency. RMI’s Reinventing Fire analysis shows how to tap into $1.9 trillion in saved energy costs in U.S. buildings through 2050, from an incremental investment of $0.5 trillion (both in present-valued 2009 $). - [The Next Big Thing: Solar Freakin’ Carports : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-next-big-thing-solar-freakin-carports-greentech-media/) - Earlier this year, the internet swooned over the idea of turning everyday roads into solar energy systems that could power cities. The tagline of the inventors: "solar freakin' roadways." Those without a deep background in energy or materials wondered what could possibly hold back such an innovative idea. Others responded by identifying the long list - [South Side a solar incubator - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/south-side-a-solar-incubator-san-antonio-express-news/) - The South Side is quickly becoming a hotbed for the solar energy industry. And it's not just solar farms, according to Steven Nivin, an economist at St. Mary's University and member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “San Antonio has the beginnings of a new energy cluster, a whole supply chain for the solar industry,” - [Sustainability Reaps Giant Profits in Melbourne](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/sustainability-reaps-giant-profits-in-melbourne/) - The huge price paid for one of Melbourne’s landmark green buildings attests to the premiums that sustainability can provide to property owners. - See more at: http://sourceable.net/sustainability-reaps-giant-profits-in-melbourne/#sthash.vAFKjMex.dpuf The huge price paid for one of Melbourne’s landmark green buildings attests to the premiums that sustainability can provide to property owners. - See more at: http://sourceable.net/sustainability-reaps-giant-profits-in-melbourne/#sthash.vAFKjMex.dpuf The - [AACOG hears proposal for moderating water concerns in Eagle Ford Shale](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/aacog-hears-proposal-for-moderating-water-concerns-in-eagle-ford-shale/) - SAN ANTONIO - The Alamo Area Council of Governments is mulling over a proposal from the Texas A&M Water Conservation and Technology Center for the center to become a neutral agent in addressing water concerns in the Eagle Ford shale formation. Calvin Finch, from the center, made a presentation to AACOG’s board Wednesday, telling members - [Dispelling Renewable Energy Myths | The Solar Times](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/dispelling-renewable-energy-myths-the-solar-times/) - Myth: The sun doesn’t shine at night and the wind doesn’t always blow so renewable energy is not reliable enough to replace fossil fuel generating plants. Fact: While it is true that “the sun doesn’t shine at night and the wind doesn’t always blow” that does not mean that renewable energy is unreliable. Instead, many - [Three cheers for community solar - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/three-cheers-for-community-solar-san-antonio-express-news/) - SAN ANTONIO — CPS Energy recently took some lumps for its proposed solar fees. That proposal was shelved after concern the fees would be an obstacle to residential solar, which is only beginning to gain traction in San Antonio. But the utility deserves hardy praise for its community solar plan, which will make supporting solar - [Why Owning Your Own Power Plant Might Not Be Crazy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-owning-your-own-power-plant-might-not-be-crazy/) - It’s been three months since we released The Economics of Grid Defection exploring when off-grid solar-plus-battery systems could reach economic parity with retail electric service. These systems could become competitive with retail electric service within the next decade for many commercial customers and for many residential customers in the decade thereafter. Since the release of - [The Economics of Grid Defection](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-economics-of-grid-defection/) - Distributed electricity generation, especially solar PV, is rapidly spreading and getting much cheaper. Distributed electricity storage is doing the same, thanks largely to mass production of batteries for electric vehicles. Solar power is already starting to erode some utilities’ sales and revenues. Download the Four Page Overview But what happens when solar and batteries join - [The Energy Revolution Takes Root Deep In The Heart of Texas](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-energy-revolution-takes-root-deep-in-the-heart-of-texas/) - In 1907, my great grandfather William Abner Wilson, a Houston developer, broke ground on a master planned community named Woodland Heights located just a few miles from downtown Houston. His development plan included modern infrastructure and technologies such as underground utilities that would change the way communities would be developed for the next century. The - [Sheep Power at a San Antonio Solar Farm - NYTimes.com](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/sheep-power-at-a-san-antonio-solar-farm-nytimes-com/) - SAN ANTONIO — The landscapers at a 45-acre solar farm northeast of downtown do not complain that they are paid only in shrubbery. After about three months, the bleating crew has kept the grounds well maintained. Since April, the site’s operator, OCI Solar Power, has used about 90 Barbados-cross sheep as a low-cost, low-effort solution - [Fortune 500 Companies Declare Their “Renewable Energy Buyers’ Principles”](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/fortune-500-companies-declare-their-renewable-energy-buyers-principles/) - Imagine if several of the world’s largest companies joined together to make clear their common interests in accessing renewable energy. Such an accord, if it contained actionable intent, would send a potent signal to the energy market that corporate renewable energy demand is serious business. In fact this declaration has actually happened, thanks to World - [Here's why oil is poised for disruption | GreenBiz.com](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/heres-why-oil-is-poised-for-disruption-greenbiz-com/) - Talk about risky business. Over the last decade, oil went from being a necessary ingredient of global growth to being its primary constraint. New modeling is now blaming oil’s inability to keep up with demand as a primary driver for depressed American and global growth. As a new Iraqi insurgency threatens the Persian Gulf oil - [CPS weighs 'community solar' options - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-weighs-community-solar-options-san-antonio-express-news/) - CPS Energy is putting together a community program that would allow San Antonians who either can't afford to install solar panels on their roofs or live in apartment buildings to nevertheless have access to the renewable power. The effort would consist of a number of projects throughout the city — the first of which is - [Fracking flowback could indirectly pollute groundwater | Cornell Chronicle](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/fracking-flowback-could-indirectly-pollute-groundwater-cornell-chronicle/) - The chemical makeup of wastewater generated by “hydrofracking” could cause the release of tiny particles in soils that often strongly bind heavy metals and pollutants, exacerbating the environmental risks during accidental spills, Cornell researchers have found. Previous research has shown that 10 to 40 percent of the water and chemical solution mixture injected at high - [Microsoft Will Work With UTSA on Sustainable Energy Development](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/microsoft-will-work-with-utsa-on-sustainable-energy-development/) - Microsoft and UTSA will work together to develop more sustainable technology to power huge and energy thirsty data center, like the one Microsoft operates in Westover Hills, 1200 WOAI news reports. The agreement, announced today at a pep rally hosted by UTSA President Ricardo Romo, also includes a $1 million grant from the Washington-based software - [Raffle winners demonstrate EE first, then solar | The Solar Times](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/raffle-winners-demonstrate-ee-first-then-solar-the-solar-times/) - Although the price of solar has dropped over the years, the up-front cost of installing a residential solar PV system — on average $7,000 to $10,000 after the federal tax credit and CPS Energy rebate — can still be prohibitive. For those looking to save money, Solar San Antonio always recommends homeowners take advantage of - [Buying Into Solar Power, No Roof Access Needed - NYTimes.com](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/buying-into-solar-power-no-roof-access-needed-nytimes-com/) - Like many consumers, David Polstein had already done much to reduce energy use in his large Victorian home in Newton, Mass. He replaced his appliances with energy-efficient models, installed better heating and put in new insulation. But he was unable to get a solar system to reduce his utility bill, he said, because his roof - [‘Green’ has become the rule — not the exception - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/green-has-become-the-rule-not-the-exception-san-antonio-business-journal/) - Green design is no longer a niche market in building construction today. As energy and health costs have increased, demands for healthier, safer and environmentally friendly buildings have become the norm rather than the exception. “(Green architecture) is becoming much more mainstream today,” says Heather Gayle Holdridge, sustainability manager for Lake|Flato Architects. “Virtually every project - [Storage Is the New Solar: Will Batteries and PV Create an Unstoppable Hybrid Force? : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/storage-is-the-new-solar-will-batteries-and-pv-create-an-unstoppable-hybrid-force-greentech-media/) - When Wes Kennedy started engineering solar systems in the mid-1990s, he pretty much had one integration option: batteries. At that time, Kennedy designed and installed systems for Jade Mountain, a Colorado-based distributed energy retailer that eventually merged with Real Goods Solar. With very little policy support from utilities, the off-grid market was the dominant driver - [Brundage Management, Self Reliant Storage accept Bill Sinkin Award - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/brundage-management-self-reliant-storage-accept-bill-sinkin-award-san-antonio-business-journal/) - Brundage Management Co. has accepted the Bill Sinkin Solar Award for the company’s work in advancing the adoption of solar energy in San Antonio. San Antonio-based Brundage installed 825 kilowatts of solar energy systems on 11 of the company’s A-AAAKey Mini Storage climate-controlled facilities, making it the largest owner of “net metered” solar energy facilities - [Smart Cities -- A $1.5 Trillion Market Opportunity - Forbes](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/smart-cities-a-1-5-trillion-market-opportunity-forbes/) - Mahatma Gandhi once said, “India is to be found not in its few cities, but in its 700,000 villages.” Though that may at one time have been true, it is no longer the case. With about 30 country dwellers moving lock, stock and barrel every minute from Indian villages to become city dwellers, not many - [Energy Payback for Solar PV Cells | The Solar Times - Solar San Antonio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-payback-for-solar-pv-cells-the-solar-times-solar-san-antonio/) - Rozina Kanchwala / 04/02/2014 Many people know that solar photovoltaic (PV) panels emit no pollution while generating electricity and do not use fossil-fuel resources. However, there are some questions about how much energy is required to produce the panels so they can in turn provide clean energy. This is known as the “energy payback” for - [CPS' solar fee tabled - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-solar-fee-tabled-san-antonio-express-news/) - CPS Energy has dropped its proposed fees for solar customers — either for the time being or altogether. The utility detailed the proposal for the City Council last week, with council members raising concerns about whether the fees would discourage residents and businesses from installing rooftop solar panels. The council asked for more time to - [This map shows how little space we'd need to power the entire world with solar panels](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/this-map-shows-how-little-space-wed-need-to-power-the-entire-world-with-solar-panels/) - This map shows how little space we’d need to power the entire world with solar panels. The area in the red box is about 25,000 square miles, slightly larger than the state of West Virginia. The small red square shows the space required to meet German demand for energy. This map from Nadine May’s thesis - [Germany’s first waste-free supermarket about to open its doors | The Mind Unleashed](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/germanys-first-waste-free-supermarket-about-to-open-its-doors-the-mind-unleashed/) - Everyone wants to contribute a smaller carbon footprint, but it’s quite difficult when 80% of stock sold in supermarkets is wrapped in toxic packaging. In effect, Americans still produce near 3 pounds of trash every day, and this is a big problem. So what could be an intelligent solution? How about a zero-waste grocery store - [Solar fee proposal questioned - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-fee-proposal-questioned-san-antonio-express-news/) - SAN ANTONIO — City Council members told a CPS Energy official Wednesday that the utility's hoped-for timeline to charge fees for future solar customers is too abrupt, saying they need more information before making a decision. In a council briefing, Cris Eugster, CPS' executive vice president and chief generation and strategy officer, said the utility - [Urge City Council to Reject New CPS Energy Solar Proposal | The Solar Times](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/urge-city-council-to-reject-new-cps-energy-solar-proposal-the-solar-times/) - Now is your chance to tell City Council to reject CPS Energy’s proposed fees on solar. The utility will make the proposal at City Council’s B-Session at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11. The proposal, approved by the utility’s Board of Trustees, calls for the largest monthly fee in the nation to be charged to - [Energy storage seen as next step for 'green' power](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-storage-seen-as-next-step-for-green-power/) - First, Randy Ross bought a Chevrolet Volt. Faced with the need to charge his car and eager to cut his utility bill, he installed solar panels on the roof of his Pleasanton, Calif., home. Now Ross, 61, has taken the next big step toward energy independence: his own battery storage system, which gives him a - [Why the Barclays Downgrade of the Entire U.S. Electricity Sector Means an Upgrade for Consumers](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-the-barclays-downgrade-of-the-entire-u-s-electricity-sector-means-an-upgrade-for-consumers/) - Barclays recently downgraded the U.S. electricity sector. That’s right, the whole sector. It’s now listed as “underweight,” meaning that if you were to hold a full portfolio of bonds for the U.S. economy, you might want to be a bit light on U.S. electric utilities, as they might not keep up with the broader economic - [How Solar Will Destroy The Power Companies, In 5 Easy Steps - Yahoo Finance](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-solar-will-destroy-the-power-companies-in-5-easy-steps-yahoo-finance/) - Barclays recently downgraded the entire U.S. electric utilities sector to "underweight" on the threat posed by widespread adoption of solar-storage. These systems allow homeowners to use rooftop solar panels and a battery to cut all but the figurative emergency backup cord to their local electric grid, putting a severe strain on an industry that has - [Creating Investor-Ready Efficiency: The Industry Can’t Just Be a ‘Bunch of Cowboys’ : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/creating-investor-ready-efficiency-the-industry-cant-just-be-a-bunch-of-cowboys-greentech-media/) - Will efficiency projects get sliced and diced like mortgages, car loans and rental units? Only if the industry gets serious about standards. For proof of how securitization can grow a market really quickly, consider the single-family home rental market. After the 2008 financial crisis (which was, in large part, caused by trading of very risky - [Scientists Politely Remind World That Clean Energy Technology Ready To Go Whenever | The Onion - America's Finest News Source](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/scientists-politely-remind-world-that-clean-energy-technology-ready-to-go-whenever-the-onion-americas-finest-news-source/) - CAMBRIDGE, MA—Stating that they just want to make sure it’s something everyone keeps in mind going forward, an international consortium of scientists gently reminded the world Wednesday that clean energy technologies are pretty much ready to go anytime. “We’ve got solar, wind, geothermal—we’re all set to move forward with this stuff whenever everyone else is,” - [The New Energy Landscape: Impact and Sustainable Energy Investing](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-new-energy-landscape-impact-and-sustainable-energy-investing/) - Energy is set to be a key global concern for the foreseeable future—and to continue to be an important focus for impact and sustainable investors. In this, the first in a two-part series on the new energy landscape, Marta Maretich explores the factors shaping the landscape and highlights some promising sectors for investment in energy. - [Environmental Working Group Releases 2014 'Dirty Dozen' List | Food Safety News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/environmental-working-group-releases-2014-dirty-dozen-list-food-safety-news/) - The Environmental Working Group (EWG) released its annual Shopper’s Guide today, including the latest iteration of its “Dirty Dozen” list – a ranking of produce most likely to be contaminated with pesticides. The guide ranks 48 popular fruits and vegetables based on an analysis of 32,000 samples tested by U.S. Department of Agriculture and the - [EcoCentro promotes sustainability, cooperation - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/ecocentro-promotes-sustainability-cooperation-san-antonio-express-news/) - Jess Mayes opened a plastic container filled with soil — and worms. He showed Tobin Hill neighborhood leader Carolyn Kelley the fruits of the labor he and other volunteers have put toward composting, worm harvesting and other organic gardening techniques at William R. Sinkin EcoCentro. “We're not comfortable here yet, the place is so new,” - [2nd Annual Health & The Built Environment Conference](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/2nd-annual-health-and-the-built-environment-conference/) - 2nd Annual Health & The Built Environment Conference May 7, 2014; 7:30 AM – 4:45 PM UTSA Downtown Campus A well-designed urban built environment can improve quality of life and health for many, many people. Attend and participate in the process of brainstorming ways to transform San Antonio into one of the healthiest cities in - [World's Biggest Fund Manager to Help Create Index That Bars Fossil Fuel Companies | InsideClimate News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/worlds-biggest-fund-manager-to-help-create-index-that-bars-fossil-fuel-companies-insideclimate-news/) - BlackRock, the world's biggest fund manager, has teamed up with London's FTSE Group to help investors avoid coal, oil and gas companies without putting their money at risk. In a sign that a global campaign against fossil fuels is entering the financial mainstream, companies that extract or explore for such fuels are excluded from a - [Unlocking Solar Energy's Value as an Asset Class](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/unlocking-solar-energys-value-as-an-asset-class/) - 2014 is predicted to be a breakout year for solar financing, as the industry eagerly pursues finance innovations. Many of these methods aren't really new to other industries, but they are potentially game-changing when applied in the solar industry. Not all options are ready to step into the spotlight, though. Master limited partnerships (MLP) and - [Intelligent Efficiency: Innovations Reshaping the Energy Efficiency Market : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/intelligent-efficiency-innovations-reshaping-the-energy-efficiency-market-greentech-media/) - A free special report Greentech Media is pleased to present a special report on “intelligent efficiency,” a new paradigm emerging in the market based on information awareness and data analytics. We present the first chapter of our report below. For more, you can download the full paper at the bottom of the page. Chapter 1: - [We Need to Accelerate the Development of Sustainability Metrics | Steven Cohen](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/we-need-to-accelerate-the-development-of-sustainability-metrics-steven-cohen/) - If we are to make the transition to a renewable resource based economy, we need to do a better job of measuring the sustainability of our organizations, cities and nations. In an excellent article published in 2002 entitled "Using Sustainability Metrics to Guide Decision Making," Jeanette Schwarz, Beth Beloff and Earl Beaver proposed a framework - [Empire State Building Retrofit Surpasses Energy Savings Expectations](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/empire-state-building-retrofit-surpasses-energy-savings-expectations/) - The energy efficiency retrofit of the Empire State Building had the makings of a great story right from the start. Visionary building owner Tony Malkin, in an effort to revive the 2.7 million-square foot New York landmark, assembled a team of leading organizations—Rocky Mountain Institute, Johnson Controls, Jones Lang LaSalle, and the Clinton Climate Initiative—to - [A battle is looming over renewable energy, and fossil fuel interests are losing - The Washington Post](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-battle-is-looming-over-renewable-energy-and-fossil-fuel-interests-are-losing-the-washington-post/) - In state capitals across the country, legislators are debating proposals to roll back environmental rules, prodded by industry and advocacy groups eager to curtail regulations aimed at curbing greenhouse gases. The measures, which have been introduced in about 18 states, lie at the heart of an effort to expand to the state level the battle - [Content Input & Feedback](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/subjects-outline-sections-sub-sections-feedback/) - Thank you in advance for your input! We're asking for feedback about what subject(s) outline, organization, sections, etc. to include as we add text, images, video & more. If you came here by way of social media, click home for what this site is to become. You can provide direct feedback below &/or contact us - [Reinventing Existing Buildings: Eight Steps To Net Zero Energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/reinventing-existing-buildings-eight-steps-to-net-zero-energy/) - Net zero energy buildings are becoming more mainstream as technologies and processes improve, and renewable energy becomes less costly. Increasingly, innovators are focusing on how to take existing buildings to net zero. Whether for new or existing buildings, getting to net zero means first maximizing energy efficiency, then adding renewable generation to cover remaining energy - [Solar Parity Map - Institute for Local Self Reliance](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-parity-map-institute-for-local-self-reliance/) - This interactive map illustrates the coming of cost-competitive solar based on a comparison of the unsubsidized cost of solar electricity with retail electricity prices of all 3100 utilities in the United States. The numbers on a state indicate the number of megawatts of solar power that could produce electricity at or below the utility's retail - [New Report: San Antonio Ranks 6th in Nation for Solar Energy | Environment Texas](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/new-report-san-antonio-ranks-6th-in-nation-for-solar-energy-environment-texas/) - SAN ANTONIO – A new report ranks San Antonio 6th in the nation for the amount of solar installed, and provides a first-of-its-kind comparative look at the growth of solar in major American cities. The Environment Texas Research and Policy Center report, Shining Cities: At the Forefront of America’s Solar Energy Revolution, finds that San - [The Method and Meaning of Minnesota's New Value of Solar Policy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-method-and-meaning-of-minnesotas-new-value-of-solar-policy/) - In March 2014, Minnesota became the first state to adopt a “value of solar” policy to set a fair, transparent price on solar energy. It may serve as a national precedent and fundamentally change the financial relationship between electric utilities and their energy-producing customers. So what will value of solar mean for utility customers producing - [San Antonio shines as solar city - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-shines-as-solar-city-san-antonio-express-news/) - SAN ANTONIO — Let's look at the sunny side of life: San Antonio is one of the nation's leading solar cities. The sixth-ranked city, per a report from Environment Texas Research and Policy Center, a nonprofit. The report ranked the leading cities of the 50 largest metro areas in the United States. For states that - [New book on fracking illuminates pros, cons | kens5.com San Antonio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/new-book-on-fracking-illuminates-pros-cons-kens5-com-san-antonio/) - "The Boom: How Fracking Ignited the American Energy Revolution and Changed the World" (Simon & Schuster), by Russell Gold The once-obscure oil and gas drilling process known as fracking has generated hundreds of billions of dollars and considerable dissent, as communities and experts argue over how to balance the vast amounts of money at stake - [How Sustainable Design Makes Our Cities Safer | EcoWatch](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-sustainable-design-makes-our-cities-safer-ecowatch/) - As cities in the developing world continue to grow, so do their traffic safety concerns. Latin America, for instance, now sees three times as many deaths from traffic crashes as Europe, the vast majority of which occur in cities. Vulnerable road users are particularly at risk: Older pedestrians and cyclists can account for up to - [State penalizes San Antonio coalition after fracking study made public - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/state-penalizes-san-antonio-coalition-after-fracking-study-made-public-pittsburgh-post-gazette/) - AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas environmental agency has frozen funding for a San Antonio area governmental coalition’s air quality improvement work after an official there publicly shared modeling results that suggested fracking contributed pollution to the city. Last summer the Alamo Area Council of Governments made public a report that found that hydraulic fracturing, or - [Report Offers Grim Predictions for South Texas Air Quality Amid Eagle Ford Oil Boom | InsideClimate News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/report-offers-grim-predictions-for-south-texas-air-quality-amid-eagle-ford-oil-boom-insideclimate-news/) - What might the oil- and gas-rich Eagle Ford Shale region of South Texas look like in 2018? A newly released but largely unnoticed study commissioned by the state of Texas makes some striking projections: The number of wells drilled in the 20,000-square-mile region could quadruple, from about 8,000 today to 32,000. Oil production could leap - [Investment and Home Solar Energy Projects | The Energy Collective](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/investment-and-home-solar-energy-projects-the-energy-collective/) - The residential solar installation and finance market is remaking itself through new alliances, vertical integration and hybrid sales channels, as well as with access to increasingly cheaper capital. We are in a post-CSI era and yet installation prices continue to fall. The early winners in this high-growth and volatile market have emerged. But the landscape - [Solar Power Continues Explosive Growth](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-power-continues-explosive-growth/) - The use of solar power as an alternative energy source is growing at an explosive rate, according to recently released industry reports. In the US, the growth was recorded at more that 40 percent from the previous year, with the total energy generated, exceeding 12,000 mw, while global capacity of energy from photovoltaics exceeds 100 - [Self Reliant Solar expands system for storage unit company - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/self-reliant-solar-expands-system-for-storage-unit-company-san-antonio-business-journal/) - San Antonio-based self-storage chain Stuff Hotel is spending some $150,000 to expand solar energy systems at its facilities in San Antonio and three other Texas cities. The company installed a 28-kilowatt solar array at its 9018 Poteet Jourdanton Freeway location three years ago, using contractor Self Reliant Solar. It recently expanded that system by another - [4 Solutions To Make Solar Financing Less Weird | CleanTechnica](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/4-solutions-to-make-solar-financing-less-weird-cleantechnica/) - When people say “Keep Austin weird” they really mean keep it small and special. And we’re all for keeping Austin weird as it’s a cool city with awesome music. While utility scale solar finance is still “weird” in that it involves tax equity, it also involves infrastructure funds, IPPs, utilities, and other mainstream sources of - [Q&A: Karl Rábago, grandfather of the value-of-solar tariff | Midwest Energy News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/qa-karl-rabago-grandfather-of-the-value-of-solar-tariff-midwest-energy-news/) - As a municipal utility executive in Austin, Texas, Karl Rábago led a team that came up with the very first value-of-solar tariff, an alternative to net-metering that aims to pay utility customers a rate for solar power that reflects its actual value to the grid and society. Today, as an independent consultant, Rábago is the - [Minnesota Becomes First State to Set ‘Value of Solar’ Tariff : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/minnesota-becomes-first-state-to-set-value-of-solar-tariff-greentech-media/) - As some states attempt to weaken solar crediting policies, Minnesota looks to make them more effective and fair. Minnesota utility regulators on Wednesday approved the nation’s first statewide formula for calculating the value of customer-generated solar power. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission voted 3-2 in favor of a proposal aimed at settling the perennial debate - [Oil Refiners’ Woes Signal Opportunity to Snap up Solar Stocks - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/oil-refiners-woes-signal-opportunity-to-snap-up-solar-stocks-san-antonio-express-news/) - Oil refiners are going through a dark phase, one that has not only taken a toll on their profit margins, but that threatens to extend this harrowing narrative for the foreseeable future -- a high crude oil price environment. A typical day in an oil refinery would entail buying feedstock -- crude oil used as - [Iron Edison Battery Company Now Offers Battery and Inverter Packages to Reduce Demand Charges With Peak Load Shaving - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/iron-edison-battery-company-now-offers-battery-and-inverter-packages-to-reduce-demand-charges-with-peak-load-shaving-san-antonio-express-news/) - Iron Edison Battery Company has a cost-effective solution to reducing demand charges using Peak Load Shaving. Iron Edison Battery Company, http://www.ironedison.com, now offers a cost-effective solution to reducing demand charges using Peak Load Shaving. Utilizing the latest in inverter and battery technology, Iron Edison Battery Company is now providing solutions designed to reduce high electric - [Greentech Media: Headlines - Is the SolarCity Model the Only Way to Scale Residential Solar?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/greentech-media-headlines-is-the-solarcity-model-the-only-way-to-scale-residential-solar/) - The U.S. residential solar market is growing rapidly and undergoing a major transformation at the same time. A new acquisition, partnership, or project fund seems to be announced every week. But what is the underlying trend here? For a while, many of us simply boiled it down to industry consolidation. The most recent developments, however, - [White House Plan Targets Methane Emissions - ABC News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/white-house-plan-targets-methane-emissions-abc-news/) - The White House announced a wide-ranging plan Friday aimed at cutting methane emissions from oil and gas drilling, landfills and other sources, part of President Barack Obama's strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. The White House plan, which could lead to several new regulations on energy production and waste management, - [How to make natural gas more climate-friendly | Grist](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-to-make-natural-gas-more-climate-friendly-grist/) - This is a story about natural gas leakage, and we’re not talking about what happens after your grandfather says, “Pull my finger!” Recent reports in journals such as Science and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences have carried some depressing news: Natural gas, the “bridge fuel” touted by President Obama for its lower - [Tesla’s Giga Battery Factory Threatens the Auto, Utility and Building Controls Markets : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/teslas-giga-battery-factory-threatens-the-auto-utility-and-building-controls-markets-greentech-media/) - Cheaper batteries will allow mainstream pricing of Tesla’s EVs in six years—and lots more. Tesla’s Giga factory aims to reduce the cost of lithium-ion batteries by 30 percent in three years and 50 percent by 2020. This big, bold move invites historical comparison. Henry Ford’s massive factory scale and vertical integration cut the cost of - [Creating a Brighter Energy Future for Lake Wobegon...and throughout the USA](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/creating-a-brighter-energy-future-for-lake-wobegon-and-throughout-the-usa/) - The American energy system risks being the thing that time forgot. Our aging fossil-fuel-based system is decaying. And in the absence of a plan, the energy system chokingly chugs along without direction or a full understanding of the challenges ahead. Fortunately, there are communities—towns, cities, and states—that have already begun the process of ensuring a - [New Financing Structures For Clean Energy Can Help Bring Down Solar Soft Costs](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/new-financing-structures-for-clean-energy/) - Hardware costs for solar have substantially dropped over the past years. Solar module prices have decreased by 70% from 2010 to 2012. The attention is now directed towards soft costs and financing. An NREL study published in September 2013 analyzed the increasing share of soft cost in PV projects. Among those “non-hardware balance-of-system costs,” transaction - [Living on Earth: Big Battery Breakthrough](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/living-on-earth-big-battery-breakthrough/) - A breakthrough in battery technology could make large-scale energy storage practical. Researchers at Harvard University say their organic flow-battery would be affordable and efficient. Professor Michael Aziz tells host Steve Curwood how the technology works and why it could significantly improve the demand for wind and solar power. (7:30) via Living on Earth: Big Battery - [Flavelle: Get politics out of climate change efforts | The Columbian](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/flavelle-get-politics-out-of-climate-change-efforts-the-columbian/) - The American Association for the Advancement of Science is trying to awaken more Americans to the dangers of climate change, with a report Tuesday that focuses on a clear and accessible explanation of the evidence. It's a commendable and necessary effort, but what if the problem goes deeper than language? The available polling data suggests - [NREL: Soft Costs Now Largest Piece Of Solar Installation Costs | CleanTechnica](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/nrel-soft-costs-now-largest-piece-of-solar-installation-costs-cleantechnica/) - Two reports published by the US Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL show that soft costs — such as financing and other non-hardware costs — now make up the largest section of solar installation costs, coming in at 64% of the total price for residential solar energy systems.The two reports – ”Benchmarking Non-Hardware Balance-of-System - [No, Renewables Aren’t Going to Blow Up the Grid : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/no-renewables-arent-going-to-blow-up-the-grid-greentech-media/) - The German experience shows that there are some real challenges associated with renewables integration. But they're not technical -- they are mostly related to rate structures, the high cost of legacy renewable energy subsidies and overlapping energy markets between countries. A new study from PJM, America's largest wholesale competitive energy market, once again shows that - [Minnesota Adopts First Statewide Method For Calculating The Value Of Solar Power | ThinkProgress](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/minnesota-adopts-first-statewide-method-for-calculating-the-value-of-solar-power-thinkprogress/) - On Wednesday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission voted to become the first state in the nation to come up with a methodology for calculating the value of solar power generated by consumers — and not just how much that power is worth to the utility company and its customers, but to society and the environment - [Quirky's New A/C Unit Smartens Up Your Dumbest Energy Hog](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/quirkys-new-ac-unit-smartens-up-your-dumbest-energy-hog/) - This is Aros, a Wi-Fi connected air conditioner aimed at energy-conscious consumers that Quirky and GE are launching today. It's by far the biggest and most complicated product that Quirky has ever built, and it aims to help solve truly endemic problem: The window a/c unit, which has remained pretty much unchanged since the 1970s. - [Things that make you go, hmmm? Exxon CEO Joins Lawsuit to Stop Fracking Near His Home](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/things-that-make-you-go-hmmm-exxon-ceo-joins-lawsuit-to-stop-fracking-near-his-home/) - Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson may be the world's biggest fracker Exxon is the biggest natural gas producer in the U.S. but he isn't stupid. He'll frack my backyard and tell me it's good for me and he'll frack your place too, but don't let any frackers near his home. He knows damn well that fracking - [2030 District initiative coming to San Antonio - San Antonio Express-News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/2030-district-initiative-coming-to-san-antonio-san-antonio-express-news/) - Architecture 2030 challenges the global architecture and building community to implement strategies to reduce energy and water consumption and vehicle emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Becoming a 2030 District offers San Antonio an ideal model for monitoring emissions and inspiring our community to meet sustainability targets identified by Architecture 2030. The first 2030 District - [It Takes a Village: Moving Beyond Net-Zero Buildings to Net-Zero Districts and Communities](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/it-takes-a-village-moving-beyond-net-zero-buildings-to-net-zero-districts-and-communities/) - In the past few years, net-zero buildings—those that produce as much (or more) clean energy on site as they use annually—have been gaining momentum. Once considered a crazy idea, they’re now coming of age as a realistic goal for a building. More than 400 such buildings are documented globally, with about one-fourth in the U.S. - [EPA chief calls San Antonio a model for the nation](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/epa-chief-calls-san-antonio-a-model-for-the-nation/) - The head of the Environmental Protection Agency made a personal site visit at San Antonio's water recycling and solar power facilities, applauding the city's cooperative approach to controlling climate change. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said partnerships between CPS Energy and San Antonio Water System are crucial in controlling climate change. ...read more - [How 'resilient' is San Antonio?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-resilient-is-san-antonio/) - San Antonio Councilmember Ron Nirenberg cited several initiatives, such as a review of water policies, that he said shows the city is aiming for a sustainable future. He spoke Friday at a conference, titled, “San Antonio Environmental Challenges: Opportunities in Resilience,” a collaboration of imagineSanAntonio, Solar San Antonio and Rackspace, which hosted the event. For - [New Study Finds 4,100 Solar Jobs in Texas | Sierra Club National](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/new-study-finds-4100-solar-jobs-in-texas-sierra-club-national/) - AUSTIN, TX – A new report from The Solar Foundation (TSF), a national non-profit research organization, finds more than 4,100 Texans are now working in the solar power industry, marking a 28 per cent increase in solar jobs in one year. In addition, Texas has moved up to sixth place in national rankings for solar - [Selective nanopores in graphene dramatically improve desalination and purification | KurzweilAI](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/selective-nanopores-in-graphene-dramatically-improve-desalination-and-purification-kurzweilai/) - A team of researchers at MIT, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and in Saudi Arabia succeeded in creating subnanoscale pores in a sheet of graphene, a development that could lead to ultrathin filters for improved desalination or water purification. Their findings are published in the journal Nano Letters.The new work, led by graduate student Sean O’Hern - [Bill Sinkin's persuasive power led CPS Energy to support Solar San Antonio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/bill-sinkins-persuasive-power-led-cps-energy-to-support-solar-san-antonio/) - When Bill Sinkin first approached CPS Energy about promoting solar power, officials were amenable, said Joe Fulton, who was director of environmental planning and research at the time. A change in leadership delayed the agreement, but since it was inked in 2002,CPS Energy has remained the major sponsor behind Solar San Antonio as Sinkin built - [Collapsible woven refugee shelters powered by the sun | Green Prophet](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/collapsible-woven-refugee-shelters-powered-by-the-sun-green-prophet/) - More than 40 million people worldwide have been displaced from their homes and left to find shelter in strange lands. Maybe they find a tarp, or a tent, but their quality of life almost always remains dismal. To close this gap in need, Jordanian-Canadian architect and designer Abeer Seikaly designed a new kind of shelter. - [MISSION - WakaWaka Solar Lamps](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/mission-wakawaka-solar-lamps/) - 1.3 billion people around the world - a quarter of humanity - have no access to electricity, and hundreds of millions more face regular blackouts. The effects of this energy poverty are enormous. Lacking power and light severely reduces a family's quality of life. Kerosene lamps are widely used for lighting, but they are very - [Plastic Bag Ban: Transitioning to a Litter-Free San Antonio | The Rivard Report](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/plastic-bag-ban-transitioning-to-a-litter-free-san-antonio-the-rivard-report/) - By now, you have likely heard I am proposing a transition that will move San Antonio down a path toward becoming a litter-free community. Late last year, after multiple conversations with members of the Citizen’s Environmental Advisory Committee members are appointed by each City Council member and the Mayor, I became aware of the environmental - [H-E-B's Street Closure Request: Is The Plan not a Plan? | The Rivard Report](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/h-e-bs-street-closure-request-is-the-plan-not-a-plan-the-rivard-report/) - I’ve sat through a number of City of San Antonio master planning meetings and workshops, including some of the many, well-attended brainstorming events for the Mayor’s SA2020 initiative. These sessions are long, often tedious “labors of love” for me and thousand of other citizens, who are honored to serve our community and take the responsibility - [Ingeniously Simple Solar-Powered Charger - My Modern Metropolis](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/ingeniously-simple-solar-powered-charger-my-modern-metropolis/) - Designers Kyuho Song and Boa Oh have developed a solution to having no electrical power source to plug into on the go. While our advancing technology provides countless benefits, it has also added to our modern day inconveniences. One such annoyance that nearly everyone can relate to is having your phone die on you with - [10 Reasons Why EarthShips Are F!#%ing Awesome](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/10-reasons-why-earthships-are-fing-awesome/) - Earthships are 100% sustainable homes that are both cheap to build and awesome to live in. They offer amenities like no other sustainable building style you have come across. For the reasons that follow, I believe Earthships can actually change the world. See for yourself! 1) Sustainable does not mean primitive When people hear about - [Batteries to Bolster Solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/batteries-to-bolster-solar/) - When SolarCity and Tesla last month announced they were teaming up to offer battery backup for residential solar PV systems, they generated much excitement … and a disproportionate amount of press. From Greentech Media to the New York Times, stories abound about how the union of these two companies heralds the next stage in the - [The Grid Edge: How Will Utilities, Vendors and Energy Service Providers Adapt? : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-grid-edge-how-will-utilities-vendors-and-energy-service-providers-adapt-greentech-media/) - The Grid Edge: How Will Utilities, Vendors and Energy Service Providers Adapt? The intersection of grid modernization and the rise of a new end-to-end energy system is already upon us. The term “smart grid” is getting a bit long in the tooth. Here at Greentech Media, we saw this as inevitable. Over the past five - [Read This Retiring Utility Commissioner’s Candid Words About Energy Policy : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/read-this-retiring-utility-commissioners-candid-words-about-energy-policy-greentech-media/) - Read This Retiring Utility Commissioner’s Candid Words About Energy Policy “I suspect that [utilities] would still dearly like to strangle rooftop solar if they could.” When public servants leave office, they sometimes offer up the most candid words of their career. And when Mark Ferron, a commissioner with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), left - [How Wall Street suddenly fell in love with solar : Renew Economy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-wall-street-suddenly-fell-in-love-with-solar-renew-economy/) - Over the weekend, the New York Times noted that the solar power “craze” is partly responsible for Wall Street’s recent good times. The Times used the example of solar giant SolarCity, which has seen a sevenfold increase in its share price to $59.27 since it went public, but this could just be starters for the - [NC State News :: NC State News and Information » Researchers Find Simple, Cheap Way to Increase Solar Cell Efficiency](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/nc-state-news-nc-state-news-and-information-researchers-find-simple-cheap-way-to-increase-solar-cell-efficiency/) - Researchers from North Carolina State University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have found an easy way to modify the molecular structure of a polymer commonly used in solar cells. Their modification can increase solar cell efficiency by more than 30 percent.PR figure2 Polymer-based solar cells have two domains, consisting of an electron acceptor and - [Organic mega flow battery promises breakthrough for renewable energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/organic-mega-flow-battery-promises-breakthrough-for-renewable-energy/) - A team of Harvard scientists and engineers has demonstrated a new type of battery that could fundamentally transform the way electricity is stored on the grid, making power from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar far more economical and reliable. The novel battery technology is reported in a paper published in Nature on - [Sustainability Professionals ‘Needed Across All Industries’ · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/sustainability-professionals-needed-across-all-industries-·-environmental-management-energy-news-·-environmental-leader/) - More companies are hiring sustainability professionals, with the green goods and services field increasing 5 percent from 2010 to 2011 to reach 3.4 million workers, but there’s still considerable room to grow, according to a report published by the McGraw Hill Financial Global Institute. The report, Managing Organizational Sustainability: Demonstrating the Business Case for Sustainability - [Market Forces Mainstream Sustainability - Economic Intelligence (usnews.com)](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/market-forces-mainstream-sustainability-economic-intelligence-usnews-com/) - The face of sustainability is changing, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group and MIT Sloan Management Review. In a worldwide survey of more than 1,000 executives and managers, BCG and Sloan took the pulse of sustainability efforts. Their research shows that sustainability is steadily growing in importance and is being integrated into - [Sustainability’s Next Frontier | MIT Sloan Management Review](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/sustainabilitys-next-frontier-mit-sloan-management-review/) - In this 2013 report, new research by MIT Sloan Management Review and The Boston Consulting Group looks at companies that “walk the talk” in addressing significant sustainability concerns. So-called “Walkers” focus heavily on five fronts: sustainability strategy, business case, measurement, business model innovation and leadership commitment. For them, addressing significant sustainability issues has become a - [Thanks to Tomatoes, Purifying Water May Have Just Gotten Easier | Care2 Causes](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/thanks-to-tomatoes-purifying-water-may-have-just-gotten-easier-care2-causes/) - What if there was a way to purify contaminated water in developing countries with a cost-effective method that’s both resourceful and effective? What if there was a way to provide clean drinking water to every thirsty mouth on the planet? Well thanks to breakthrough research from Mr. Ramakrishna Mallampati, a PhD candidate at the National - [The End of Environment-Destroying Fertilizers Could Be Near | Care2 Causes](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-end-of-environment-destroying-fertilizers-could-be-near-care2-causes/) - Research breakthroughs have been pretty great for Mother Earth lately: We’re on the cusp of treating polluted water with little more than apple and tomato peels, and now Professor Edward Cocking from the University of Nottingham has created a new technology which may soon bring the end of environment destroying fertilizers. The new technology, known - [Debunking the Renewables “Disinformation Campaign”](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/debunking-the-renewables-disinformation-campaign/) - According to Fox Business reporter Shibani Joshi, renewables are successful in Germany and not in the U.S. because Germany has “got a lot more sun than we do.” Sure, California might get sun now and then, Joshi conceded during her now-infamous flub, "but here on the East Coast, it's just not going to work." (She - [A New Proposal From Arizona’s Ratepayer Advocate Seeks to Fix Net Metering : Greentech Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-new-proposal-from-arizonas-ratepayer-advocate-seeks-to-fix-net-metering-greentech-media/) - A new proposal from Arizona’s ratepayer advocate seeks to resolve the hostility between utilities and solar advocates over net energy metering. Regulators “will look to us because their main function is to make sure residential ratepayers get fair treatment, and net metering is going to affect all ratepayers,” said Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) Director - [How Retrofits Can Reduce the Cost of Healthcare](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-retrofits-can-reduce-the-cost-of-healthcare/) - With all of the media attention paid of late to the rollout of the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare), it’d be easy to miss a related, if seemingly mundane, development: the recent release of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for Healthcare Facilities. Of all the challenges facing the nation’s healthcare system, - [UT Energy Poll - Understanding Public Perceptions of Energy to Inform Policymakers and Stakeholders](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/ut-energy-poll-understanding-public-perceptions-of-energy-to-inform-policymakers-and-stakeholders/) - The UT Energy Poll seeks to provide an objective, authoritative look at consumer attitudes and perspectives on key energy issues. It is designed to help inform national discussion, business planning and policy development. The new initiative involved in understanding public perceptions of energy to inform policymakers and various stakeholders–including you. The fifth wave of The - [Enlightened economic interest - the argument for energy efficiency and renewables. Focus on outcomes not motives. Energy wisdom over Climate problems. Bidirectional value tariff](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/enlightened-economic-interest-the-argument-for-energy-efficiency-and-renewables-focus-on-outcomes-not-motives-energy-wisdom-over-climate-problems-bidirectional-value-tariff/) - What's in store for the future of energy? VERGE SF 2013 concluded with this 27 minute freewheeling discussion among sustainability heavyweights. The New York Times reporter Andy Revkin caught up with Amory Lovins, chairman of the Rocky Mountain Institute and Joel Makower, chairman of the GreenBiz Group. Watch below and learn more. - [This Tiny Pod Car Runs On Air | GizmoCrazed](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/this-tiny-pod-car-runs-on-air-gizmocrazed/) - Top speed 50 mph, Range 125 miles, runs on compressed-air at a cost of 1 cent per mile and costs $10,000. In September 2013 it was announced that the car would be manufactured in Sardinia, Italy, for sale in summer 2014. Electric cars have been the main source of hope in the alternative car market - [San Antonio: Ground Zero for Renewable Energy in an 'All-of-the-Above' Energy Market - Yahoo Finance](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-ground-zero-for-renewable-energy-in-an-all-of-the-above-energy-market-yahoo-finance/) - In Texas' 21st century energy economy, San Antonio has it all. It enjoys abundant renewable resources, enabling CPS Energy to include solar-generated electricity in its generating portfolio. San Antonio also is the largest city in South Texas, home of the Eagle Ford formation and ground zero for Texas' booming oil shale production. This "all-of-the-above" energy - [Why to Think Twice About Green LabelsSmall Business Trends](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/why-to-think-twice-about-green-labelssmall-business-trends/) - Getting your business or product “green certified” may seem like a smart way to show your customers and prospective customers that you adhere to environmentally friendly practices. But be careful. You could end up spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a green label that’s worthless or, worse, hurts your reputation. More organizations and - [MIT Now Knows How to Get Clean Water out of a Gas Well | The Daily Fusion](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/mit-now-knows-how-to-get-clean-water-out-of-a-gas-well-the-daily-fusion/) - The transition from coal to natural gas is expected to significantly decrease carbon emissions. However, gas production poses its own environmental concerns. One of those is the problem of so-called “produced water”—large volumes of underground water with a lot of salts and minerals, that flow to the surface along with gas. This water must be - [Putting America Back to Work with Clean Energy | Center for American Progress](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/putting-america-back-to-work-with-clean-energy-center-for-american-progress/) - We know from experience that the twin objectives of jobs growth and a clean energy future go hand in hand. Research from CAP and the University of Massachusetts shows how investments in clean energy could revitalize our economy and create millions of new jobs over the course of a decade. So far, results from the - [Renewable Energy and Economic Growth Go Hand in Hand for Massachusetts | EcoWatch](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/renewable-energy-and-economic-growth-go-hand-in-hand-for-massachusetts-ecowatch/) - As the American economy begins to recover, some might argue that renewable energy has played a role. In Massachusetts, the clean energy industry has caused significant growth. Jobs in the state’s clean energy sector have increased by 24 percent since 2011, according to the latest report from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC). via Renewable - [Building the Next Economy From the Bottom-Up: The Metropolitan Export Initiative](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/building-the-next-economy-from-the-bottom-up-the-metropolitan-export-initiative/) - The Metropolitan Export Initiative (MEI) is a ground-up collaborative effort to help regional civic, business, and political leaders—with their states—create and implement customized Metropolitan Export Plans (MEPs). These localized export plans will apply market intelligence to develop targeted, integrated export-related services and strategies that help regions better connect their firms to global customers, as outlined - [Sargent « Great Things from Small Things .. Nanotechnology Innovation](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/sargent-great-things-from-small-things-nanotechnology-innovation/) - A new technique developed by University of Toronto Engineering Professor Ted Sargent and his research group could lead to significantly more efficient solar cells. In a paper published in the journal Nano Letters, the group describes a new technique to improve efficiency in what are called colloidal quantum dot photovoltaics. It’s a technology that already - [Isothermal Compressed Air Energy Storage – SustainX](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/isothermal-compressed-air-energy-storage-sustainx/) - SustainX's isothermal compressed air energy storage (ICAES™) technology enables a site-anywhere, zero-emissions storage solution. Through superior thermodynamics, SustainX technology frees compressed air storage from the risks of caverns and the emissions of natural gas. Isothermal compression allows air to reach high pressures without the inherent challenges of high temperatures or high thermal losses. Compressed air - [New 'High Concentration Photovoltaic Thermal' System Will Collect 80% of Solar Energy | The Daily Fusion](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/new-high-concentration-photovoltaic-thermal-system-will-collect-80-of-solar-energy-the-daily-fusion/) - Scientists have announced yesterday that a collaboration consisting of ETH Zurich, IBM Research, the Interstate University of Applied Sciences Buchs and Airlight Energy is to develop an affordable photovoltaic system capable of concentrating solar radiation 2,000 times and converting 80 percent of the incoming radiation into useful energy. The system can also provide desalinated water - [When Will We Hit Peak Garbage? | Surprising Science](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/when-will-we-hit-peak-garbage-surprising-science/) - In 2013, if you’re someone who cares about the environment, your first and foremost concern is probably climate change. After that, you might worry about things like radioactive contamination, collapsing honeybee colonies and endangered ecosystems, among other contemporary environmental perils that fill recent news headlines. But a number of researchers in the field are focused - [Lone Star Green: Policing Eagle Ford - News and Politics - San Antonio Current](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/lone-star-green-policing-eagle-ford-news-and-politics-san-antonio-current/) - Hector Zertuche’s first environmental crime occurred around 2009 when he discovered a truckload of oilfield drilling muds dumped on the banks of the Nueces River outside Sandia, Tex. “We matched the tracks to a nearby resident,” the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Deputy told me recently. “But we messed up. We cited him for illegal dumping.” - [Blog | Mission Verde Alliance](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/blog-mission-verde-alliance/) - A Regional Forum on Our Future October 15, 2013 . 10am – 2pm . The Historic Pearl Stable Program 11:30am – 1:30pm, Exhibits 10:00am – 2:00pm This critically important, first of its kind, forum goes well beyond education and outreach. Our focus will be on: policy formation; long-term planning; and collaboration, implementation and accountability between - [After Public Concern, CPS Promises To Scale Back Bonus Pay, Rate Hike - News and Politics - San Antonio Current](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/after-public-concern-cps-promises-to-scale-back-bonus-pay-rate-hike-news-and-politics-san-antonio-current/) - After taking heat for trying to increase customer rates while top-level executives receive sizable bonus checks, CPS Energy is doubling up on efforts to save face. During a presentation before City Council last Thursday, CPS CEO Doyle Beneby said the utility is formulating a plan that could lessen bonus pay and cut the proposed rate - [ How Is Your City Saving Energy? San Antonio Rank #16 TOTAL SCORE: 42.5](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/how-is-your-city-saving-energy-san-antonio-rank-16-total-score-42-5/) - A new report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranks America's 34 largest cities on what they are doing to save energy and costs in five key areas. Click on the map to see how cities scored. Here are the recommendations for San Antonio: BEST PRACTICES Strong energy-savings goals for government and community - [Texas Climate News | Stranded costs: Can the socioeconomic solar divide be bridged?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/texas-climate-news-stranded-costs-can-the-socioeconomic-solar-divide-be-bridged/) - When CPS Energy, San Antonio’s publicly-owned utility, mailed out letters to the owners of solar-sporting homes in early April announcing that it was considering a program that would cut payments for sun-derived energy nearly in half – from 9.7 cents per kilowatt hour to roughly 5.6 cents – residents were shocked. CPS, the state’s most - [Internal EPA report highlights disputes over fracking and well water - latimes.com](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/internal-epa-report-highlights-disputes-over-fracking-and-well-water-latimes-com/) - WASHINGTON — One year ago, the Environmental Protection Agency finished testing drinking water in Dimock, Pa., after years of complaints by residents who suspected that nearby natural gas production had fouled their wells. The EPA said that for nearly all the 64 homes whose wells it sampled, the water was safe to drink. Yet as - [A Republican Case for Climate Action - NYTimes.com](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-republican-case-for-climate-action-nytimes-com/) - EACH of us took turns over the past 43 years running the Environmental Protection Agency. We served Republican presidents, but we have a message that transcends political affiliation: the United States must move now on substantive steps to curb climate change, at home and internationally. read more via A Republican Case for Climate Action - - [San Antonio Green Olympics down to eight competitors - San Antonio Business Journal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/san-antonio-green-olympics-down-to-eight-competitors-san-antonio-business-journal/) - It began with 32 companies vying for their place in planning a compelling design for low-impact development. And now, the San Antonio Low-Impact Development Design competition — aka, the Green Olympics, is down to 8 finalists. The Green Olympics is being presented by the San Antonio Land/Water Sustainability Forum and the San Antonio River Authority - [City Seeks Applicants for Seats on the Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/city-seeks-applicants-for-seats-on-the-citizens-environmental-advisory-committee/) - City Seeks Applicants for Seats on the Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee The City of San Antonio is seeking applicants for all positions on the Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee (CEAC). The CEAC is comprised of eleven members, one member representing each of the ten Council Districts and one representing the Mayor. The committee provides recommendations on - [AT&T saves $151 million with energy efficiency measures - Electric Light & Power](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/att-saves-151-million-with-energy-efficiency-measures-electric-light-power/) - In its 2012 Sustainability Report, AT&T reports energy efficiency projects saved the company more than $151 million in annualized energy savings since 2010 and nearly 1.3 billion kilowatt hours (kWh), equivalent to the electricity use of 136,340 homes in one year. AT&T rolled out its energy score card program to 1,000 retail stores, achieved 11 - [Electric Vehicle Guide | SIERRA CLUB](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/electric-vehicle-guide-sierra-club/) - Use the Sierra Club's guide to plug-in electric vehicles to check out individual cars, calculate how much CO2 and money in fueling you'll save, learn what EV driver incentives exist in your area, and find out where to buy an EV. Get the latest EV news on the Sierra Club's blogs and learn about their - [Close Unfair Loopholes For Fracking Pollution - Earthjustice](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/close-unfair-loopholes-for-fracking-pollution-earthjustice/) - Drillers Need To Clean Up Their ActIt's hard to go a day without hearing something in the news about the consequences of the oil and gas drilling rush across the United States. The rush is due in part to the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking—in which drillers blast millions of gallons of chemically - [The Greening of San Antonio | The Rivard Report](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-greening-of-san-antonio-the-rivard-report/) - San Antonio is emerging as one of the “greenest” large American cities. In addition to our already-famous reputation for hospitality, San Antonio is getting recognized for its advances in energy and water efficiencies, alternative transportation programs and solid waste management. San Antonio is one of only 25 “Solar America Cities” selected by the U.S. Department - [Can GE Make Fracking Safer?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/can-ge-make-fracking-safer/) - In three years, General Electric Co. has gone from only dabbling in oil and gas to investing a whopping $15 billion in the sector, with an eye for diversity and new technology—not drilling and producing. The bottom line is that hydraulic fracking has opened a number of new doors for GE, so much so that - [German Student Creates Electromagnetic Harvester That Gathers Free Electricity From Thin Air](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/german-student-creates-electromagnetic-harvester-that-gathers-free-electricity-from-thin-air/) - A German student has built an electromagnetic harvester that recharges an AA battery by soaking up ambient, environmental radiation. These harvesters can gather free electricity from just about anything, including overhead power lines, coffee machines, refrigerators, or even the emissions from your WiFi router or smartphone. This might sound a bit like hocus-pocus pseudoscience, but - [19-Year-Old Develops Ocean Cleanup Array That Could Remove 7,250,000 Tons Of Plastic From Oceans](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/19-year-old-develops-ocean-cleanup-array-that-could-remove-7250000-tons-of-plastic-from-oceans/) - 19-year-old Boyan Slat has unveiled plans to create an Ocean Cleanup Array that could remove 7,250,000 tons of plastic waste from the world’s oceans. The device consists of an anchored network of floating booms and processing platforms that could be dispatched to garbage patches around the world. Instead of moving through the ocean, the array - [Tell Lawmakers: Level the Playing Field for Renewable Energy Investing](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/level-playing-field-for-renewable-energy-investing/) - Good news for bi-partisan clean-energy solutions!Right now, a pair of bills -- one in the House, and one in the Senate -- may be on their way toward correcting a bias written into the tax code that favors fossil-fuel investing over clean-energy investing. The Master Limited Partnerships (MLP) Parity Acts would end restrictions on clean-energy - [EPA Lets Energy Firms Pollute America's Underground Water Supply | InsideClimate News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/epa-lets-energy-firms-pollute-americas-underground-water-supply-insideclimate-news/) - A primary concern about the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline is that a leak would contaminate the Ogallala aquifer, one of the nation's most important sources of drinking and irrigation water. InsideClimate News is republishing this investigative story from ProPublica because it highlights another risk to U.S. aquifers: The EPA is allowing some of them - [S.A. kids discover underground treasure: a cave in N. Bexar County | kens5.com San Antonio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/s-a-kids-discover-underground-treasure-a-cave-in-n-bexar-county-kens5-com-san-antonio/) - SAN ANTONIO – A group of boys in a north-side subdivision found what some experts say could be the fifth largest cave in Bexar County.And it started with a hole they discovered while exploring The Ridge at Lookout Canyon.“We got bored,” said 11-year-old Ethan.So, they did what boys do: They poked at it. via S.A. - [U.S. Energy Insecurity: Why Fracking for Oil and Natural Gas Is a False Solution | Food & Water Watch](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/u-s-energy-insecurity-why-fracking-for-oil-and-natural-gas-is-a-false-solution-food-water-watch/) - Promoters of modern drilling and fracking celebrate the industry’s newfound ability to extract oil and natural gas from shale and other tight rock formations, calling it an energy “revolution,” a “paradigm-shifter,” a “rebirth” and a “game changer.” One recent report claims that North America might soon become “the new Middle East,” a net exporter of - [The Source: CPS Energy And Solar San Antonio Talk SunCredit | Texas Public Radio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-source-cps-energy-and-solar-san-antonio-talk-suncredit-texas-public-radio/) - The announcement that CPS Energy is considering changing the amount of money it would reimburse its solar generating customers - cutting it by nearly 40 percent - caused more than a stir in the solar community. CPS Energy said the idea is to address the hidden costs of solar generation, which is system infrastructure, a - [National Organic Standards Board Decision a Victory for Organics, Preservation of Antibiotics](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/national-organic-standards-board-decision-a-victory-for-organics-preservation-of-antibiotics-food-water-watch/) - Antibiotics are used in growing organic apples and pears? And, over 80% of antibiotics used in the U.S. are currently used in agriculture? A joint statement of Consumers Union, Food & Water Watch and The Center for Food Safety. Portland, Ore.—Today the National Organic Standards Board NOSB rejected a petition to extend the expiration date - [More Than One Million Comments Urge Obama Administration to Reject Keystone XL Pipeline](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/more-than-one-million-comments-urge-obama-administration-to-reject-keystone-xl-ecowatch-cutting-edge-environmental-news-service/) - Opponents of Keystone XL have submitted more than one million comments urging President Obama, Secretary Kerry and the State Department to reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, following the publication of the latest deficient environmental review. There is a common message among the opponents of the pipeline: Keystone XL is all risk and no - [Newly Released Tim DeChristopher Finds a Movement Transformed by His Courage](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/newly-released-tim-dechristopher-finds-a-movement-transformed-by-his-courage-by-melanie-jae-martin-yes-magazine/) - After 21 months in federal custody, climate activist Tim DeChristopher approached the pulpit at his church in Salt Lake City, Utah, as a free man. The First Unitarian congregation rose in uproarious applause, tears streaming down more than a few faces. “It’s good to be home,” DeChristopher told the crowd. During his sermon, he said - [Dead dolphins and shrimp with no eyes found after BP clean-up ](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/dead-dolphins-and-shrimp-with-no-eyes-found-after-bp-clean-up-nature-environment-the-independent/) - Hundreds of beached dolphin carcasses, shrimp with no eyes, contaminated fish, ancient corals caked in oil and some seriously unwell people are among the legacies that scientists are still uncovering in the wake of BP's Deepwater Horizon spill.This week it will be three years since the first of 4.9 million barrels of crude oil gushed - [Graphene Supercapacitors: The End Of Batteries? | EarthTechling](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/graphene-supercapacitors-the-end-of-batteries-earthtechling/) - If these UCLA researchers are right – and we might find out pretty soon – energy storage could be in for a big change. Richard Kaner and his graduate student Maher El-Kady have been trumpeting graphene micro-supercapacitors that would combine the very fast charge and discharging capabilities of supercapacitors – hundreds of times faster than - [The Price of Carbon | Climate Reality](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-price-of-carbon-climate-reality/) - Carbon pollution is not only disrupting our lives, it’s hitting our wallets. Comedian and musician Reggie Watts shows how, laying out the billion-dollar connection between fossil-fuel energy and dirty weather events like Superstorm Sandy caused by carbon pollution. We’ve all been paying the bill for years, but now it’s got to stop and you can - [March Newsletter](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/march-newsletter/) - Events Solar Tour 2013 When: Saturday, April 13, 2013 What: Free, self-guided tour to see a solar system. The tour goes from 10 am-2 pm, and there are 18 locations for this year’s tour around San Antonio. This is … Continue reading → - [Chairman of the AG Committee](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/chairman-of-the-ag-committee/) - Direct number to his Ag office is 202-225-2171 ...Care to give him a call? read more... - [See The Scientific Accident That May Change The World (Or At Least Your Battery Life)](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/see-the-scientific-accident-that-may-change-the-world-or-at-least-your-battery-life/) - Why aren't we powering everything with tiny, fast, biodegradable "batteries"? via See The Scientific Accident That May Change The World (Or At Least Your Battery Life). - [Plastic Pollution Coalition Guerrilla stunt in downtown Vancouver, Bristish Columbia, Canada](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/44-timeline-photos/) - Plastic Pollution Coalition Guerrilla stunt in downtown Vancouver, Bristish Columbia, Canada. A giant plastic six-pack ring is tangled on a wildlife sculpture at the corner of Georgia and Thurlow st. Stay tuned for reactions, videos. #PlasticIsForever via 44 Timeline Photos. Plastic Pollution Coalition - http://plasticpollutioncoalition.org/ - [The Word - The New Abnormal - The Colbert Report - 2013-28-01 - Video Clip | Comedy Central](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/the-word-the-new-abnormal-the-colbert-report-2013-28-01-video-clip-comedy-central/) - The Word - The New Abnormal Australia adds new colors to the weather map for temperatures above 125 degrees, and conservatives hit the fifth stage of right-wing climate change grief: acceptance. via The Word - The New Abnormal - The Colbert Report - 2013-28-01 - Video Clip | Comedy Central. - [Edgeland Residence: a modern take on the Native American Pit House](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/edgeland-residence-a-modern-take-on-the-native-american-pit-house/) - Edgeland Residence is a modern dwelling designed by the Bercy Chen Studio which sees the company rehabilitating land once considered unsuitable for occupation. Claimed to set a new standard for sustainability, it draws inspiration from the Native American Pit House, and is designed to impact the environment as little as possible. via Edgeland Residence: a - [February 2013 Newsletter](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/february-2013-newsletter/) - Upcoming Events Movie Screening On Friday, March 1, the Bijou Theater (4522 Fredericksburg Road San Antonio, TX 78201) will be premiering the film Chasing Ice. It is an award-winning documentary showcasing the work of one man, James Balog, an environmental … Continue reading → - [January 2013 Newsletter](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/january-2013-newsletter/) - By: Devon Rood National News On Tuesday, January 22nd, President Barack Obama was inaugurated for his second term. During his inaugural speech, President Obama talked for almost a minute about climate change and how the US must finally confront this … Continue reading → - [Your HOA allows solar!](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/your-hoa-allows-solar/) - In the last session of the Texas Legislature, a law passed that limits the ability of Home Owner Associations (HOAs) and Property Owner Associations (POAs) to prevent the installation of solar energy. Many HOAs and POAs or the management companies … Continue reading → - [May 18 • Save the Date!](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/may-18-•-save-the-date/) - Save the date for Solar San Antonio’s annual fundraising luncheon and help honor our founder and chairman, Bill Sinkin, on his 99th birthday! Friday, May 18, 2012 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Pearl Stable at the Historic Pearl Brewery 312 … Continue reading → - [SAFD adding renewable energy safety practices to keep up with growing solar trend](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/safd-adding-renewable-energy-safety-practices-to-keep-up-with-growing-solar-trend/) - As the price for solar panels continues to drop, we will no doubt be seeing more solar installations in our neighborhoods.Thanks to CPS Energy’s generous solar rebate, available tax credits, and solar financing programs, installing solar is now an affordable … Continue reading → - [Lanny Sinkin presenting at Solar Power International](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/lanny-sinkin-presenting-at-solar-power-international/) - Next week Solar San Antonio staff is heading to Solar Power International (SPI 2011) in Dallas, TX to gain insight on the latest solar technologies and meet with solar companies from around the globe. With an estimated attendance of over … Continue reading → - [Solar Tour 2011: Neighbors Helping Neighbors Go Solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-tour-2011-neighbors-helping-neighbors-go-solar/) - This year’s tour boasts a Solar Tour Fun Bus, new website, and 39 locations On Saturday, October 1st from 10am – 3pm, Solar San Antonio is offering free open-house tours of 43 solar powered homes and businesses. This free event is … Continue reading → - [Solar Tour – October 1st](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-tour-october-1st/) - Attend Solar Tour on Saturday, October 1st to see how you can solar power your home or business. This event is free and open to the public. • Meet local solar installers one-on-one • Get answers to your questions from … Continue reading → - [$10 million grant for clean power research](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/10-million-grant-for-clean-power-research/) - $10 million grant for clean power research express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 4:10 pm, Thursday, Aug... - [Power problems might be worse next year](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/power-problems-might-be-worse-next-year/) - Power problems might be worse next year San Antonio Express-News Copyright 2013 San Antonio Express-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 8:05 p... - [Texans asked to conserve power](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/texans-asked-to-conserve-power/) - Texans asked to conserve power express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 1:01 am, Thursday, August 25, 2011 ... - [Energy conservation urged this afternoon](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-conservation-urged-this-afternoon/) - Energy conservation urged this afternoon The Texas power grid operator asked the public to conserve energy until 7 p.m. today because power levels were short. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which controls most of the state's power gr... - [Waste Management aims to turn trash into energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/waste-management-aims-to-turn-trash-into-energy/) - Waste Management aims to turn trash into energy San Antonio Express-News Copyright 2013 San Antonio Express-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 12:01 am, Tuesday, August 23, 2011 By any measure, Waste Management is a giant in the U.S. garbage collection and recycling business, but its future might lie in a different service: turning trash into energy. If we lose the waste, we've certainly lost the business, said Carl Rush, vice president of the company's organic growth group, the chief vehicle for its energy investments. The shift in thinking comes at a time when U.S. landfill collections are hitting a plateau as Americans recycle more, consumer products makers reduce packaging and many large corporations adopt “zero waste” goals. Demand for renewable energy and fuels also is increasing, in response both to regulations requiring them and to public concerns about the nation's reliance on fossil fuels and their environmental impact. Waste Management also has its own pilot plant in Oklahoma that converts landfill gas to diesel fuel for its trash collection trucks. [...] it's in a joint venture with Linde in an Altamont, Calif., plant that turns landfill gas into liquefied natural gas and powers 1,000 garbage trucks there. The company now has a portfolio of nearly 30 acquisitions, joint ventures and investment projects at various stages of development. - [Customers help CPS save energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/customers-help-cps-save-energy/) - Customers help CPS save energy express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:01 am, Monday, August 22, 2011 Demand response, which is aimed at large commercial and institutional customers, together with CPS' Peak Saver thermostat program for residential customers, save the utility between 80 and 90 megawatts a day on the hottest days of the summer — enough power for more than 16,000 households. - [AACOG weatherization program granted extension](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/aacog-weatherization-program-granted-extension/) - AACOG weatherization program granted extension express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:01 am, Sunday, August 21, 2011 The Alamo Area Council of Governments' weatherization program last week was granted a funding extension through Dec. 31 — allowing AACOG to keep and expend federal stimulus funds that just a month ago were thought to be in jeopardy. - [Smart-meter energy data now online](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/smart-meter-energy-data-now-online/) - Smart-meter energy data now online express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:19 am, Saturday, August 20, 2011... - [CPS urges schools to conserve energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-urges-schools-to-conserve-energy/) - CPS urges schools to conserve energy express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 12:37 am, Thursday, August 1... - [David Hendricks: Mexico, S.A. on same energy page](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/david-hendricks-mexico-s-a-on-same-energy-page/) - David Hendricks: Mexico, S.A. on same energy page Castro, accompanied by his chief of staff, Robbie Greenblum, Deputy City Manager A.J. Rodriguez and others, visited Monday with the ministry's undersecretary for energy planning and technological ... - [More gulf wind power for San Antonio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/more-gulf-wind-power-for-san-antonio/) - More gulf wind power for San Antonio express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:35 am, Tuesday, August 9, 2011... - [Rolling blackouts possible this week](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/rolling-blackouts-possible-this-week/) - Rolling blackouts possible this week express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 9:45 am, Monday, August 8, 2011 ... - [ERCOT in level 1 emergency again](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/ercot-in-level-1-emergency-again/) - ERCOT in level 1 emergency again Express-News Copyright 2013 Express-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 5:08 pm, Friday, August 5, 2011 ... - [Grid operator avoids rolling blackouts](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/grid-operator-avoids-rolling-blackouts/) - Grid operator avoids rolling blackouts express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 6:50 pm, Thursday, August 4, 2011 At one point during the afternoon, grid operator ERCOT — the Electric Reliability Council of Texas — warned there was a “high probability” of rolling blackouts. Yet if the scorching weather should prompt ERCOT to call for wider rolling blackouts in the coming days, CPS and other utilities connected to the grid would be required to comply — and within 15 minutes, CPS spokeswoman Christine Patmon said. CPS would not cut power to critical customers, such as hospitals and emergency services handled by the fire and police departments, she said, but residential customers would be affected. Every degree a person lowers the thermostat below 78 adds an additional 7 to 10 percent to their electric bill as well as additional stress to the power grid. - [Kerrville suit on power line route rejected](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/kerrville-suit-on-power-line-route-rejected/) - Kerrville suit on power line route rejected express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 1:11 am, Wednesday, August... - [Grid operator urges Texans to conserve power](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/grid-operator-urges-texans-to-conserve-power/) - Grid operator urges Texans to conserve power express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 1:31 am, Wednesday, Augus... - [Deeds, not words, drive new energy economy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/deeds-not-words-drive-new-energy-economy/) - Deeds, not words, drive new energy economy express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 11:59 pm, Saturday, July 16... - [State faces electricity shortage today](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/state-faces-electricity-shortage-today/) - State faces electricity shortage today Texas is in danger of running short of electricity today and is asking residents and businesses to cut their power use from 3 to 7 p.m., the peak hours for demand. “We are expecting the statewide power supplies to be very tight over peak today, primarily due to the forecast for continued temperature extremes which causes higher than normal electricity use, and because of unexpected unit outages,” said Kent Saathoff, vice president of grid operations and system planning for ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Shut off all unnecessary lights, appliances and electronic equipment, such as cable boxes and computers, - [Weatherization an ordeal for some residents](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/weatherization-an-ordeal-for-some-residents/) - Weatherization an ordeal for some residents express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:02 am, Monday, July 11,... - [Castro aims to learn much from Israel](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/castro-aims-to-learn-much-from-israel/) - Castro aims to learn much from Israel express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 1:18 am, Sunday, July 10, 2011 Mayor Julián Castro is expected to arrive in Israel this morning, leading a delegation of San Antonio business, utility and Jewish community leaders on his first trip to the Holy Land. - [Science Friday ponders San Antonio's energy future](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/science-friday-ponders-san-antonios-energy-future/) - Science Friday ponders San Antonio's energy future express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:04 am, Saturday, July 9, 2011 Turning San Antonio into a renewable energy and sustainable development hub has been on Mayor Julián Castro's agenda since 2001, and Friday, he and local industry leaders gave the nation a glimpse of how the city is adopting sustainable energy while witnessing a boom in conventional fuel exploration in the nearby Eagle Ford shale. - [EPA's tough new rules irritate officials in Texas](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/epas-tough-new-rules-irritate-officials-in-texas/) - EPA's tough new rules irritate officials in Texas San Antonio Express-News Copyright 2013 San Antonio Express-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 2... - [CPS Energy ratchets up investment in solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-energy-ratchets-up-investment-in-solar/) - CPS Energy ratchets up investment in solar express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 2:45 am, Thursday, July 7, 2011 The utility last week notified all of the bidders for that project that they have until July 16 to resubmit their proposals — but this time for up to 400 megawatts, in large part because the price of solar continues to drop. - [Drought spurring fracking concerns](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/drought-spurring-fracking-concerns/) - Drought spurring fracking concerns express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:54 am, Sunday, July 3, 2011 ... - [Consumers urged to cut electrical use](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/consumers-urged-to-cut-electrical-use/) - Consumers urged to cut electrical use express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 6:31 pm, Monday, June 27, 2011 ... - [Program aims at energy costs](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/program-aims-at-energy-costs/) - Program aims at energy costs express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 11:27 pm, Wednesday, June 22, 2011 ... - [Chamber to hold energy conference](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/chamber-to-hold-energy-conference/) - Chamber to hold energy conference express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 5:26 pm, Wednesday, June 22, 20... - [Clean tech not just goal for S.A.](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/clean-tech-not-just-goal-for-s-a/) - Clean tech not just goal for S.A. express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 12:21 am, Wednesday, June 22, 2011 With the announcement that four clean-energy companies will bring hundreds of jobs and substantial research and educational investments to town, Mayor Julián Castro has hailed the moment as a transformative one for San Antonio. - [Green companies will bring jobs to S.A.](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/green-companies-will-bring-jobs-to-s-a/) - Green companies will bring jobs to S.A. express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 2:39 pm, Tuesday, June 21, 2011 In elaborate fashion before an overflow audience, CPS Energy CEO Doyle Beneby and Mayor Julián Castro introduced five clean-technology companies that will bring hundreds of jobs, and some headquarters, to San Antonio. - [Five companies partner with CPS Energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/five-companies-partner-with-cps-energy/) - Five companies partner with CPS Energy express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 7:46 pm, Monday, June 20, 2011 ... - [S.A. wins new jobs in clean energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/s-a-wins-new-jobs-in-clean-energy/) - S.A. wins new jobs in clean energy express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 2:01 am, Sunday, June 19, 2011 CPS Energy CEO Doyle Beneby is expected to announce Monday the relocation of several clean-energy-related companies to San Antonio, bringing hundreds of good-paying jobs and establishing a firm toehold in the "new energy economy" that Mayor Julián Castro has been pushing since he was first elected. - [Administration gives a boost to offshore drilling](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/administration-gives-a-boost-to-offshore-drilling/) - Administration gives a boost to offshore drilling San Antonio Express-News Copyright 2013 San Antonio Express-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Publis... - [Bill meant to ease fears over fracking](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/bill-meant-to-ease-fears-over-fracking/) - Bill meant to ease fears over fracking express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 2:28 am, Saturday, June 11, 201... - [Solar program's profile dimmer](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-programs-profile-dimmer/) - Solar program's profile dimmer express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:02 am, Saturday, May 28, 2011 ... - [Industry takes issue with ‘fracking' acts](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/industry-takes-issue-with-fracking-acts/) - Industry takes issue with ‘fracking' acts HOUSTON — Anyone scoring the debate over hydraulic fracturing would notice that critics of the controversial oil and natural gas extraction process have lately put a few points on the board. In hydraulic fracturing, millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are injected into a well at high pressure to create multiple fractures in the rock and free trapped gas or oil. In April, a paper by scientists at Cornell University argued that shale gas, touted as a cleaner alternative to coal, could actually be a worse contributor to climate change because of methane that leaks into the air during fracturing. The latter recalled hotly debated scenes from the Oscar-nominated documentary Gasland, which showed homeowners in Colorado and Wyoming igniting tap water they said contained natural gas that seeped into aquifers after hydraulic fracturing. - [CPS Energy to test warning system](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/cps-energy-to-test-warning-system/) - CPS Energy to test warning system express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 10:32 pm, Wednesday, May 25, 2011 ... - [Spanish company joins four in S.A. to bid on CPS solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/spanish-company-joins-four-in-s-a-to-bid-on-cps-solar/) - Spanish company joins four in S.A. to bid on CPS solar express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 1:23 pm, Thursd... - [Fredericksburg offers land for new substation](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/fredericksburg-offers-land-for-new-substation/) - Fredericksburg offers land for new substation express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 9:50 pm, Thursday, May 1... - [Science Guy sheds light on solar power](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/science-guy-sheds-light-on-solar-power/) - Science Guy sheds light on solar power express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 5:41 pm, Monday, May 16, 2011 ... - [A clean-tech alliance is in the making](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/a-clean-tech-alliance-is-in-the-making/) - A clean-tech alliance is in the making express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:01 am, Sunday, May 8, 2011 ... - [Solar Fest shines light on sun's power](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-fest-shines-light-on-suns-power/) - Solar Fest shines light on sun's power express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 11:46 pm, Saturday, May 7, 2011... - [Solar Fest celebrates renewable energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/solar-fest-celebrates-renewable-energy/) - Solar Fest celebrates renewable energy express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:00 am, Saturday, May 7, 2011... - [Energy savings program to start](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-savings-program-to-start/) - Energy savings program to start express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 8:08 pm, Wednesday, April 27, 2011 ... - [Bringing utility boards together](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/bringing-utility-boards-together/) - Bringing utility boards together express-news Copyright 2013 express-news. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 12:10 am, Saturday, April 9, 2011 In what Mayor Julián Castro termed a historic first, the boards of the San Antonio Water System and CPS Energy held a joint meeting Friday to talk about ways the two municipally owned utilities can work together to save water, energy and money. ## Pages - [Home](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/) - The days of a false choice between environmental protection and economic growth are over. Sustainability deployed with regenerative practices and eco-positive solutions creates holistic, long-term wealth and improved health. Sustainable San Antonio is a Partner and Member driven collaborative with a mission to create a Green Business Network for our metropolitan area and beyond. With - [Food, Farms & Gardens](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/food-farms-gardens/) - San Antonio Area Planting Calendar & Companion Planting Guide Join our newsletter for reminders on upcoming sales & seminars. The Food Policy Council of San Antonio (FPCSA) was formed by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, under a Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the - [Contact Us](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/contact-us/) - [Biomimicry](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/biomimicry/) - What is Biomimicry? What is Biodiversity? What Can Today's Designers Learn From Nature? 14 Smart Inventions Inspired by Nature: Biomimicry Explore AskNature to find biological strategies, inspired ideas, and resources relative to your own innovation challenges, so you can begin to emulate the time-tested forms, processes, and systems that already thrive in balance with Earth’s - [Energy Efficiency (Reduce As You Produce)](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/energy-efficiency/) - Energy efficiency, often called the Fifth Fuel, refers to products or systems using less energy to do the same or better job than conventional products or systems. It's a way of managing and restraining the growth in energy consumption. Something is more energy efficient if it delivers more service for the same or less energy - [Circular Economy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/circular-economy/) - A circular economy is a regenerative system in which resource input and waste, emission, and energy leakage are minimized by slowing, closing, and narrowing energy and material loops; this can be achieved through long-lasting design, maintenance, repair, reuse, remanufacturing, refurbishing, recycling, and upcycling. And is an industrial system that is restorative or regenerative by intention - [Get Involved](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/get-involved/) - Sustainable San Antonio’s goal is to bring together practitioners, researchers, policy makers, subject matter experts and the general public to share knowledge, tools and resources for a sustainable and more resilient society that builds prosperity and profitable returns on investment. With your support we can rapidly build a community of like minded people with a purpose - [What Is Sustainability?](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/what-is-sustainability/) - What is Sustainability and Sustainable Development? It's been often stated that, "Sustainable urban development is one of the most pressing challenges facing the human community in the 21st century." The United Nations Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own - [Newsletter Sign Up](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/media/newsletter-sign-up/) - Please fill out the below form for our newsletter to stay up to date with what's happening in our Community and to receive special offers on select products and services from our Members and Partners. [yikes-mailchimp form="1"] - [Commercial Transport](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/transportation/commercial-transport/) - Run On Less is a joint effort between the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and Rocky Mountain Institute, Run on Less is a best-of-the-best, cross-country roadshow that showcases advancements in freight efficiency. Run on Less demonstrates how efficiency technologies improve the bottom line for fleets and benefit the environment by reducing greenhouse gas - [Be Listed](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/be-listed/) - You can immediately submit your organization or business by going to the Green Business Directory. If you would like to become a Partner or Member in San Antonio’s premier green business network, please contact us through our Get Involved section. To share your knowledge go to our Share Your Knowledge section to quickly fill out - [Green Business Directory](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/green-business-directory/) - We are redeveloping our Green Business Directory to have new Project Forums and Marketplace features and functionality showcasing our Partners and Members. There may be intermittent downtime and disruption during this process. If you would like to become a Partner or Member in San Antonio's premier green business network, please contact us through our Get - [Solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-production/solar/) - The Earth receives an incredible supply of solar energy. The sun is a 4 billion year old fusion reactor providing enough energy in one minute to supply the world's energy needs for one year. In one day, it provides more energy than our current population would consume in 27 years. It is often quoted that, - [Local/Regional News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/media/news-blogs-rss-feeds/) - News on San Antonio's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan - [About Us](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/about-us/) - Sustainable San Antonio is a nexus of organizations and people deploying sustainable development technology through practice and education to explore, explain and demonstrate: What is sustainability? Why does it matter, is important or should we care? How can we all benefit, profit and prosper? Sustainable San Antonio is: Focused on the long-term health and sustainability of - [Residential Solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-production/solar/residential-solar-energy/) - By making our homes into power generators we save money, protect ourselves from rising energy bills and increase our property value while reducing our carbon footprint for the present and next generation. Additional benefits to going solar are: We enjoy more freedom by taking control of our energy bills through reduction of energy expenses Solar - [Non-Profit/NGOs](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/policy-organizations/non-profitngos/) - San Antonio Area Foundation Build San Antonio Green City of San Antonio Energy and Sustainability Project Highlights Solar Development Plan - The City of San Antonio Buildings and Communities - The City of San Antonio SA2020 American Institute of Architects San Antonio - [Sustainable Patriots](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/get-involved/sustainable-patriots/) - To be announced. In the meantime, contact us with questions and click on this image to... - [Natural Capitalism](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/natural-capitalism/) - Natural capitalism is a system of four interlinking principles, where business and environmental interests overlap, and in which businesses can better satisfy their customers' needs, increase profits and help solve environmental problems all at the same time. It is an economic system that incentivizes profit based on proper care of the environment and assigns an - [Video](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/video/) - If we're going to spend money on infrastructure, what should we spend it on, and what energy policies best benefit our local communities, country and planet? Give us your opinion in the comments at the bottom of the page. In 2016, the Obama Administration announced bold regulations to curb methane emissions. Now we have an - [Green Building](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/green-building/) - With buildings accounting for nearly 40 percent of global energy consumption, the building sector should play a key role in effective climate policy. Efficiency measures in new and existing buildings provide an enormous opportunity for countries to reduce their energy intensities while simultaneously driving improvements in public health, labor productivity, and job creation. According to - [Events](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/events-calendar/) - A calendar for climate change action and environmental justice work in San Antonio. By way of and much thanks to Climate Action SA. PLEASE CONFIRM WITH THE EVENT PROVIDER. DUE TO SUMMER SCHEDULES SOME GROUP MEETING DATES MAY CHANGE. - [Blog Roll](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/blog/blog-roll/) - If you have a blog suggestion, please contact us or share your knowledge with us. From climate, energy and oceans to economics, health and policy - everything is connected. Having a culture of science is vital to exploring all sorts of topics, but the primary focus is the interdisciplinary nature of understanding our world. For - [Aquaponics & TransFarming](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/food-farms-gardens/aquaponics-transfarming/) - This is an example for future groups...SATX Permaculture is the current best group to be involved with to meet fellow Aquaponic and TransFarming enthusiasts...or as we may call ourselves - ATF Geeks. ;o) Welcome to The San Antonio Aquaponic and TransFarming Meetup Group, the largest Aquaponic and TransFarming group in San Antonio! This is THE place - [Energy](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-production/) - Sustainable energy is an energy system that serves the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their energy needs and will never be used up or depleted. Some examples of renewable energy sources are solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and biofuels. These types of energy sources are different from fossil - [Wind](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-production/wind/) - Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth's surface, and rotation of the earth. Wind flow patterns are modified by the earth's terrain, bodies of water, and vegetative cover. This wind flow, or motion energy, when "harvested" by - [Commercial Solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-production/solar/commercial-solar-energy/) - Today solar power can offer many financial benefits as well as social by promoting a greener public image and reducing your carbon footprint. Not only will utility bills be lowered but your business will be able to more successfully sustain itself with its own power generated from the sun. Not only that, but consumers will - [Best Practices](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/) - In these sections and sub-sections, you'll find info about the Best Practices of sustainable development, such as how to increase productivity while reducing wasteful consumption by embracing the latest innovations and technologies of today and the near future. We believe our local communities have an important role to play in developing an entrepreneurial climate through - [Universities & Colleges](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/policy-organizations/universities-colleges/) - University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) Sustainability Community Engagement Univstity of Texas San Antonio Institute for Economic Development Sustainable Business Program: The Sustainable Business Program is no longer receiving funding, however some valuable resource information has been archived and is being made available for a limited time. If you need assistance with starting or - [Public/Private Partnerships](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/policy-organizations/governmental/publicprivate-partnerships/) - [Local Governmental](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/policy-organizations/governmental/) - City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability SA Tomorrow is the name given to the city led planning effort to help our community attain the vision and goals from SA2020 as well as to prepare for an anticipated population growth of 1.1 million throughout the metropolitan area by 2040, essentially doubling the size of San - [Policies](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/policy-organizations/) - Policies and Organizations of San Antonio San Antonio runs a "Council-Manager" form of government. Voters elect 10 district representatives and a mayor to pass laws and establish policies they feel are in their best interest of the community. The current elected City Council and Mayor are the main decision and policies makers focusing on district and - [Sustainable Communities](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/sustainable-communities/) - Learn about sustainable communities and some different aspects of what works both in San Antonio and around the country when designing & creating healthy communities. The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District hosted the Public Health and the Built Environment Conference on May 7, 2014 at UTSA Downtown Campus in San Antonio. It was a vibrant - [Directory](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/directory-2/) - [directory] - [Submit a Listing](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/submit-listing/) - [directory_submit] - [Thanks For Signing Up!](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/thanks-for-signing-up/) - You should momentarily receive a confirmation email from us. If not, please check your spam folder. If you do not find it please immediately email us directly. We will soon be in contact with you.Thanks again! - [Organic Gardening](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/food-farms-gardens/organic-gardening/) - What is Organic Gardening? To study and replicate holistic ecosystems What does it mean to be an organic gardener? To implement holistic ecosystems to feed and grow soil Many gardeners wonder what exactly organic gardening means. The simple answer is that organic gardeners don't use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on their plants. But gardening organically - [Public Solar](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-production/solar/public-solar-energy/) - San Antonio's CPS Energy continues to utilize and study the benefits of sun power as a valuable generation option for their customers. CPS Energy has been recognized on the local, state and national level, with the Texas Public Power Association (TPPA) for it's outstanding system achievements. To win the award, the TPPA member must be - [Thank You](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/thank-you/) - Thank you for contacting SustainableSA.com! You should momentarily receive an email from us. If not, please check your spam folder. If you do not find it please immediately email us directly. We will soon be in contact with you. - [Rideshare](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/transportation/electrical-vehicles/rideshare/) - TBA content to come... - [Make a Payment](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/make-a-payment/) - Please make your selection below and click on "Make Payment" to process your secure transaction. Type of Support SponsorMemberEventOther Please confirm again: - [Thank You For Supporting Sustainable San Antonio!](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/thank-supporting-sustainable-san-antonio/) - We will be in contact with you promptly. In the meantime, you should momentarily receive email payment confirmation from PayPal with subject line of, "Your receipt for payment to iMAP Group". Please note payment on your monthly billing statement will also appear as iMAP Group. If within a few minutes you have not received payment - [Historic Preservation](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/green-building/historic-preservation/) - Historic preservation, by definition, includes the conservation of existing materials. Buildings and structures are saved and reused, allowing us to continue to enjoy the productive investment that was made when the materials were first cut, quarried, crafted, transported and installed. This makes preservation a key factor in sustainability, the concept of meeting the needs of - [Electrical Vehicles](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/transportation/electrical-vehicles/) - Personal transpiration is becoming more sustainable with the advent of the electric car, (also known as an electric vehicle or an EV). An EV is powered by an electric motor instead of a gasoline engine drawing power from rechargeable batteries. Some EVs can travel can travel over 200 miles per charge and the range is growing. EVs, - [Public & Urban Transport](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/transportation/public-urban-transport/) - The City of San Antonio Transportation Plan, also referred to as a Multimodal Transportation Plan, will set and communicate the City’s transportation strategy and provide a method for prioritizing projects through 2040. It is a plan for all modes of transportation, including cars, transit, bicycles, and pedestrians and will develop proposed multimodal improvements and serve - [Bicycling](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/transportation/electrical-vehicles/bicycling/) - [Submit a Listing](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/directory-2/submit-listing/) - [directory_submit] - [Manage Listings](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/directory-2/manage-listings/) - [directory_manage] - [Advocate With Us](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/media/advocate-with-us/) - Temporarily Under Construction. Please come back to learn more about signing up for our newsletter, product and services discounts and other amenities and helpful information. [newsletter] - [Manage Listings](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/directory/manage-listings/) - [directory_manage] - [Links](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/links/) - This is where we'll be posting and exchange links to and from others. Please contact us if you'd like to suggest or exchange links. San Antonio 2030 District is a private-sector-led initiative intended to transform San Antonio’s urban core by supporting building owners and occupants in their efforts to reduce waste and increase building performance. - [Permaculture](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/permaculture/) - Permaculture is a branch of ecological design, ecological engineering, and environmental design that develops sustainable architecture and self-maintained agricultural systems modeled from natural ecosystems. The development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient. It is a creative design process that is based on ethics and design principles. It guides us to mimic the - [Finance](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/financing/) - Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) - USDA Rural Development The Equator Principles is a risk management framework, adopted by financial institutions, for determining, assessing and managing environmental and social risk in projects and is primarily intended to provide a minimum standard for due diligence to support responsible risk decision-making. As at 4 June 2013, - [3Rs - Reduce, Reuse & Recycle](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/reduce-reuse-recycle/) - Frequently Asked Questions: Answered by your City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management Department Tips on reducing waste and conserving resources. The three R's - reduce, reuse and recycle - all help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. They conserve natural resources, landfill space and energy. Plus, the three R's - [Education](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/education/) - Knowledge is power and educating ourselves about sustainability and gaining specific education can help us to pass it on and share with others. In the subsections (Certifications & Training & Continuing Education) links are provided with information where we can begin and continue our education on sustainability. Additionally, Texas GreenSources, provided by the University of - [Events News](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/events-news/) - Information coming soon... - [Audio](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/media/audio/) - Living On Earth Computational heating, and the laws of thermodynamics (it's not magic, it's physics) with the British comedy duo Michael Flanders and Donald Swann on Living On Earth. Full recording with lyrics The Energy Gang An energy digest produced by Greentech Media. The show features engaging discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy - [Residential Finance](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/financing/residential-finance/) - Solar Financing: Options for Homeowners Infographic This infographic is from the Summer 2014 issue of Rocky Mountain Institute’s Solution Journal. To read more from back issues of Solutions Journal, please visit the RMI website. Click on the image to view in a larger, higher resolution format. - [Send E-Cards](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/media/send-e-cards/) - Send e-cards to anyone you want! Just pick your image then fill out the form below! You can also send to multiple recipients. Separate multiple recipients by comma (e.g. name1@email.com, name2@email.com) - [Community Gardens](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/food-farms-gardens/community-gardens/) - Community gardens are a great way to get people in neighborhoods involved with their community. With programs such in San Antonio as Green Spaces Alliance, you can easily get involved in a community garden nearest to you with the below map. You can also find community gardens by using this CG Network page. You will - [Commercial Finance](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/financing/commercial-finance/) - Section content to come... Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi dui nulla, scelerisque et posuere in, malesuada quis ligula. Maecenas lobortis tellus id justo dignissim non tincidunt odio faucibus. Duis dignissim vulputate velit, ut fringilla nisl viverra sed. Aenean adipiscing, nisi a bibendum congue, velit odio euismod mauris, at suscipit velit sem - [Wildscaping](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/wildscaping/) - int - [Books](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/media/books/) - Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think by Dr. Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler - Since the dawn of humanity, a privileged few have lived in stark contrast to the hardscrabble majority. Conventional wisdom says this gap cannot be closed. But it is closing—fast. In Abundance, a space entrepreneur turned innovation pioneer and award-winning - [Certifications & Training](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/education/certifications-training/) - These Links provided below will help put you on the path of getting specific training for degrees and certficates in the area of sustainability: The Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute at UTSA: Is a partner with our community and contribute to a new energy future that builds on a diverse resource base to position San Antonio - [Sustainable Water Management Principles](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/water/sustainable-water-management-principles/) - Water is one of our most precious resources. So it's important to save as much as possible. Two-thirds of the Earth's surface is covered in water but only less than one-half of one percent of that water is currently available for our use. The world's population is over 7 billion, water costs are increasing and - [Public Green Building](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/green-building/public-green-building/) - Smart Street Lighting Echelon's Smart Street Lighting solution transforms streetlights into intelligent, energy-efficient, remotely managed networks that deliver dependable lighting at 30% less cost than low-energy luminaires alone. Over the long term, Smart Street Lightingserves as a foundation for building a Smart City. Smart Street Lighting from Echelon allows a city to easily schedule lights on - [Bee Keeping](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/food-farms-gardens/bee-keeping/) - Alamo Area Bee Keepers Association and at: http://aabanewsletter.blogspot.com and Free bee removal available if you know where to look Bees are responsible for forty percent of the food we eat. Without bees, we could find ourselves facing food shortages and a collapse of the green and flowered world. Listen to this hour of "To the - [Residential Green Building](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/green-building/residential-green-building/) - Residential Green Building Residential green building practices include designing and constructing homes that use energy, water, and materials efficiently; have a reduced impact on their physical environment; and promote a healthy indoor environment for you, your family, or your customer. By using an integrated design approach, the whole residential building can be designed and operated - [Commercial Green Building](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/green-building/commercial-green-building/) - Green Buildings and Energy Efficiency With energy prices forecast to rise for the foreseeable future and increasing interest in environmentally responsible "green" buildings, it is critical that such buildings be energy efficient; unfortunately this is not always the case. Because a building can gain green certification based on environmental factors other than energy efficiency, a - [Media](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/media/) - The Four E’s of Social Media & Sustainability: The TakeAway: Sustainability Leaders Need to Use Social Media to Exchange, Educate, Engage, and Enhance. Social media has exploded within the past few years to become a fixture in our culture. For example, Facebook’s network has mushroomed to 500 million users and Twitter attracts 190 million visitors - [Share Your Knowledge](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/contact-us/share-your-knowledge/) - [si-contact-form form='2'] - [Fossil Fuels (Gas, Oil & Coal)](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-production/fossil-fuels-oil-gas-coal/) - Natural Gas As natural gas is the gas component of coal and oil formation, it is used in industrial and commercial heating and cooking. In a compressed form, natural gas can be used as transportation fuel. Texas is one of the five states that hold more than 85% of U.S.natural gas reserves (the others include - [Water](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/water/) - San Antonio Startup Pioneers Sustainable Water Treatment San Antonio-based technology company Elequa recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for additional testing of its recently patented water treatment technology. According to the technology’s academic and industry supporters, Elequa holds viable promise for the future of the global water crisis. And it’s local. Jesus Moreno patented Elequa, an electrocoagulation water - [Biofuels](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-production/biofuels/) - Ethanol Ethanol is a clean-buring motor fuel that is produced from renewable resources. At its most basic stage, ethanol is grain alchol, which is produced from crops like corn. Unblended 100% motor isn't actually used, instead it's combined with gasoline but only a percentage is. Not only is ethanol better for the enviorment, it also - [Continuing Education](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/education/continuing-education/) - These Links provided below will help put you on the path of gaining specific knowledge in the area of sustainability: Office of Sustainability: Located here in San Antonio, is designated to be a lead facilitator in the City’s efforts toward incorporating sustainable practices within City operations and at the community level. The office spearheads multiple - [Insulating & Weatherization](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/energy-efficiency/insulating-weatherization/) - A well insulated and weatherized home is one of the most cost-effective ways of saving energy and reducing heating and cooling bills. In fact, if your home is as little as 5 to 10 years old, you likely have one of the 46 million under-insulated homes in the U.S. Adding batt or blown-in insulation is - [Rail Districts](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/transportation/rail-districts/) - Local support does exist for Lone Star rail District The Texas Transportation Institute's latest survey of the 100 most congested areas of the state identified Interstate 35 between Loop 1604 North and FM 3009 as the region's worst segment for road congestion. Three other segments of I-35 in Bexar County are on the worst 100 - [Transport](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/transportation/) - Sustainability is important to San Antonio when it comes to Transportation. In this section you will find information about plans, progress and issues related to transportation and how such is affecting our area, community and lives. This Information, when possible, will mostly be organized to Commercial, Personal and Public and then also by geographic area. - [My Bookings](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/my-bookings/) - CONTENTS - [Tags](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/tags/) - CONTENTS - [Locations](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/locations/) - CONTENTS - [Test](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/test/) - [connections] - [Rivers, Lakes & Water Shed Management](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/water/rivers-lakes-water-shed-management/) - A watershed is an area of land that drains into a body of water, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, sea or ocean. The watershed includes the network of rivers, streams and lakes that convey the water, as well as the land surfaces from which water runs off. Watersheds are separated from adjacent watersheds - [Rain Water Harvesting](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/water/rain-water-harvesting/) - Texas has been practicing rainwater harvesting for centuries due to popular green movements. And Texans are showing a greater interest in reducing their consumption. There are many advantages for rainwater harvesting such as: Rainwater is free. (Excluding collection and usage) Rainwater is sodium free. Since underground water is decreasing, harvesting rainwater is becoming more and - [Lighting](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/energy-efficiency/lighting/) - (Residential, Commercial, Public) - [Urban Farming](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/practices-technology/food-farms-gardens/urban-farming/) - [Geothermal](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/energy-production/geothermal/) - Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi dui nulla, scelerisque et posuere in, malesuada quis ligula. Maecenas lobortis tellus id justo dignissim non tincidunt odio faucibus. Duis dignissim vulputate velit, ut fringilla nisl viverra sed. Aenean adipiscing, nisi a bibendum congue, velit odio euismod mauris, at suscipit velit sem sit amet felis. - [Private](https://www.sustainablesanantonio.com/policy-organizations/private/) - Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi dui nulla, scelerisque et posuere in, malesuada quis ligula. Maecenas lobortis tellus id justo dignissim non tincidunt odio faucibus. Duis dignissim vulputate velit, ut fringilla nisl viverra sed. 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