Using junk material such as coconut shells, discarded telephone
instruments, and wooden boxes students of engineering colleges in Tamil
Nadu have shown how it is possible to make solar lamps for just around
Rs 300.
As many as 65 teams from 20 institutions participated in
an inter-collegiate solar lamp design contest organised jointly by The
Solarillion Initiative, a branch of the prestigious IEEE and the online
renewable energy newsletter, Panchabuta.
The competition was held
after a work shop organised by the three entities to familiarise
engineering students with solar energy.
A team from the
Chennai-based B. S. Abdur Rahman University won the first prize in the
contest; the second and third prizes went to Aalim Muhammed Salegh
College of Engineering based in Vellore and Jeppiaar Engineering
College. The prizes were given away by the eminent agricultural
scientist and Magsaysay award winner, Dr M. S. Swaminathan, at a
function held here today at the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation.
The
solar lamps displayed at the event showed how the lamps could be made
from even junk material as long as you have the three major elements of a
solar lamp – solar panel, batteries and LED lights.
Speaking at
the function, Dr Swaminathan called for an Integrated Energy Security
Policy with emphasis on renewable energy and with particular focus on
solar energy. He said it was important that the students community
realised the importance of solar energy.
Vineeth Vijayaraghavan,
Founder-Editor, Panchabuta, said that the organisers would take the
workshop-competition events to other parts of Tamil Nadu in the coming
months, in deference to the demand by various colleges and universities.
Ramesh
Rajesh, Co-Founder of The Solarillion Initiative, said that the
not-for-profit initiative focused on solar education, research, capacity
building and social projects that aimed to reach out to millions of
college students in five years.
The state will begin the
improvements in spring 2014 and plan to have the work completed by that
fall, DOT officials told the Riverhead Town Board during its work
session Thursday morning.
Sidewalks on both sides of Main Street
from Union to Griffing avenues will be repaired or replaced, old trees
will be removed and replaced with "columnar" varieties that won't block
lights or signs, and new street lights will be installed, DOT officials
said. The state will also build new sidewalks where none currently exist
on the north side of West Main Street west to Tanger Outlets.
All
sidewalks and intersections will be compliant with the requirements of
the Americans with Disabilities Act, said DOT engineer and assistant to
the regional director Patricia Audinot.
Supervisor Sean Walter
said the town has been waiting a long time for these improvements and he
was disappointed that they wouldn't begin until 2014.
2013年4月25日星期四
LED street lights will have to wait
It doesn’t yet pay to replace old high-pressure sodium street lights with high efficient light-emitting diode fixtures, although the numbers are changing fast.
A two-year Maple Ridge pilot project examined the costs and benefits of 24 new LED street lights installed at the corner of Abernethy Way and 224th Street. It found that the lights would actually cost the district $23,894 more over 20 years than the orange sodium lights.
That’s because the $48,000 capital cost of the LEDs far exceeded the $4,800 cost of the old high-pressure models. The cost-benefit of LED lights is not quite there yet, but it’s getting close, public works general manager Frank Quinn told council.
And that doesn’t mean Maple Ridge is giving up on the new technology. LED lights continue to drop in price, to less than half of what they were two years ago.
The district will monitor the trends as the technology improves and prices drop, while it will encourage B.C. Hydro to retrofit its own street lights – which make up about a third of those in Maple Ridge.
Two recommended projects would be a test LED streetlight project in a neighbourhood area, possibly with participation from a business partner, as well as test retrofitting of existing street lights.
When compared to the old HPS lights, which use 188 watts of electricity, the new LED use only 129 watts. Maple Ridge pays $3.52 a month for the electricity used by each street light.
The pilot project found that the 24 LED street lights on Abernethy Way would save Maple Ridge $9,366 in power costs over 20 years.
However, when a manufacturer’s discount and a grant Maple Ridge received are figured into the analysis, the district would save $16,000 over two decades. Coun. Mike Morden asked if cellphone companies could pay for LED light fixtures, if combined with cell towers.
And what about solar-powered street lights, if such technology exists? But sustainability manager Laura Benson said LED lights are so efficient they wouldn’t need solar power.
Research technician Alexandra Tudose said in a report that LED lights will be mandatory in Nova Scotia by 2019 because of the high cost of electricity in that province.
Historically, LED MR16 solutions provided only directional light, making it impossible for them to fully illuminate and enhance decorative glasswork in light fixtures. Uniquely designed and patented with LEDs in the front and the rear of the lamp, the TerraLUX Decorative MR16 LED Lamp produces high quality (96 CRI) and warm light (3000k) that is ideal for use in high-end lighting fixtures that are commonly found in restaurants, bars and in specialty glass scones and hanging pendants.
“Lighting Design Lab is a highly respected organization that our customers in the Northwest look to for guidance and expertise on energy efficient technologies available in their area,” said TerraLUX’s Anthony Catalano, Chief Technical Officer and inventor of the unique patented technology. “We are honored to have the Decorative MR16 Lamp recognized by Lighting Design Lab as a lighting solution their clients should consider for their decorative fixture retrofit projects.”
A two-year Maple Ridge pilot project examined the costs and benefits of 24 new LED street lights installed at the corner of Abernethy Way and 224th Street. It found that the lights would actually cost the district $23,894 more over 20 years than the orange sodium lights.
That’s because the $48,000 capital cost of the LEDs far exceeded the $4,800 cost of the old high-pressure models. The cost-benefit of LED lights is not quite there yet, but it’s getting close, public works general manager Frank Quinn told council.
And that doesn’t mean Maple Ridge is giving up on the new technology. LED lights continue to drop in price, to less than half of what they were two years ago.
The district will monitor the trends as the technology improves and prices drop, while it will encourage B.C. Hydro to retrofit its own street lights – which make up about a third of those in Maple Ridge.
Two recommended projects would be a test LED streetlight project in a neighbourhood area, possibly with participation from a business partner, as well as test retrofitting of existing street lights.
When compared to the old HPS lights, which use 188 watts of electricity, the new LED use only 129 watts. Maple Ridge pays $3.52 a month for the electricity used by each street light.
The pilot project found that the 24 LED street lights on Abernethy Way would save Maple Ridge $9,366 in power costs over 20 years.
However, when a manufacturer’s discount and a grant Maple Ridge received are figured into the analysis, the district would save $16,000 over two decades. Coun. Mike Morden asked if cellphone companies could pay for LED light fixtures, if combined with cell towers.
And what about solar-powered street lights, if such technology exists? But sustainability manager Laura Benson said LED lights are so efficient they wouldn’t need solar power.
Research technician Alexandra Tudose said in a report that LED lights will be mandatory in Nova Scotia by 2019 because of the high cost of electricity in that province.
Historically, LED MR16 solutions provided only directional light, making it impossible for them to fully illuminate and enhance decorative glasswork in light fixtures. Uniquely designed and patented with LEDs in the front and the rear of the lamp, the TerraLUX Decorative MR16 LED Lamp produces high quality (96 CRI) and warm light (3000k) that is ideal for use in high-end lighting fixtures that are commonly found in restaurants, bars and in specialty glass scones and hanging pendants.
“Lighting Design Lab is a highly respected organization that our customers in the Northwest look to for guidance and expertise on energy efficient technologies available in their area,” said TerraLUX’s Anthony Catalano, Chief Technical Officer and inventor of the unique patented technology. “We are honored to have the Decorative MR16 Lamp recognized by Lighting Design Lab as a lighting solution their clients should consider for their decorative fixture retrofit projects.”
2013年4月24日星期三
New Technology Inspires a Rethinking of Light
AFTER the joy of the birth itself, parenthood sometimes brings the
unwelcome news that a newborn has jaundice and must wear goggles and be
placed under special lights. Imagine how different this experience might
be if there were no goggles, just a warm blanket covering the tiny
body, a healing frequency of blue light emanating from its folds.
That comforting scene, already a reality in some hospitals, is evidence of the fundamental rethinking of lighting now under way in research labs, executive offices and investor conferences. Digital revolutionaries have Edison’s 130-year-old industry, and its $100 billion in worldwide revenue, in their sights. Color, control and function are all being reassessed, and new players have emerged like a wave of Silicon Valley start-ups.
“This is the move from the last industrial-age analog technology to a digital technology,” said Fred Maxik, the chief technology officer with the Lighting Science Group Corporation, one of many newer players in the field.
The efforts start with energy efficiency and cost savings but go far beyond replacing inefficient incandescent bulbs. Light’s potential to heal, soothe, invigorate or safeguard people is being exploited to introduce products like the blanket, versions of which are offered by General Electric and in development at Philips, the Dutch electronics giant.
Innovations on the horizon range from smart lampposts that can sense gas hazards to lights harnessed for office productivity or even to cure jet lag. Digital lighting based on light-emitting diodes — LEDs — offers the opportunity to flit beams delicately across stages like the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge — creating a light sculpture more elegant than the garish marketers’ light shows on display in Times Square, Piccadilly Circus and the Shibuya district in Tokyo.
“Up till now we only thought — do I have enough light to see, to clean my room, to cut a diamond?” said Ed Crawford, a senior vice president of Philips Lighting Americas. “Now it impacts what I do, how I feel, in emotional ways.”
In the United States, lighting consumes more than 20 percent of electric power generated each year; the Energy Department says LEDs can cut consumption by up to 80 percent. LEDs — also called solid-state lighting — are already a $12.5 billion business worldwide, according to analysts at the research firm Strategies Unlimited in Mountain View, Calif. A 2012 McKinsey report estimates LEDs will be an $84 billion business by 2020.
But there is an obstacle or two facing the LED revolutionaries. One is existing modes of lighting: Edison’s screw-based socket, the office’s fluorescent ceiling tubes, and metal halide or sodium lights in parking lots are not going away anytime soon.
Another hurdle is public wariness after the environmental exhortations of the 2000s, which led to much-disputed federal legislation to phase out the old incandescents, often in favor of compact fluorescent bulbs. In pursuing their goals, advocates played down problems like the harshness of fluorescent light, and difficulties with dimming the bulbs and dealing with the toxic mercury they contain. Now, some lighting scientists say, both consumers and investors are leery of buying into something they suspect might be substandard.
That comforting scene, already a reality in some hospitals, is evidence of the fundamental rethinking of lighting now under way in research labs, executive offices and investor conferences. Digital revolutionaries have Edison’s 130-year-old industry, and its $100 billion in worldwide revenue, in their sights. Color, control and function are all being reassessed, and new players have emerged like a wave of Silicon Valley start-ups.
“This is the move from the last industrial-age analog technology to a digital technology,” said Fred Maxik, the chief technology officer with the Lighting Science Group Corporation, one of many newer players in the field.
The efforts start with energy efficiency and cost savings but go far beyond replacing inefficient incandescent bulbs. Light’s potential to heal, soothe, invigorate or safeguard people is being exploited to introduce products like the blanket, versions of which are offered by General Electric and in development at Philips, the Dutch electronics giant.
Innovations on the horizon range from smart lampposts that can sense gas hazards to lights harnessed for office productivity or even to cure jet lag. Digital lighting based on light-emitting diodes — LEDs — offers the opportunity to flit beams delicately across stages like the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge — creating a light sculpture more elegant than the garish marketers’ light shows on display in Times Square, Piccadilly Circus and the Shibuya district in Tokyo.
“Up till now we only thought — do I have enough light to see, to clean my room, to cut a diamond?” said Ed Crawford, a senior vice president of Philips Lighting Americas. “Now it impacts what I do, how I feel, in emotional ways.”
In the United States, lighting consumes more than 20 percent of electric power generated each year; the Energy Department says LEDs can cut consumption by up to 80 percent. LEDs — also called solid-state lighting — are already a $12.5 billion business worldwide, according to analysts at the research firm Strategies Unlimited in Mountain View, Calif. A 2012 McKinsey report estimates LEDs will be an $84 billion business by 2020.
But there is an obstacle or two facing the LED revolutionaries. One is existing modes of lighting: Edison’s screw-based socket, the office’s fluorescent ceiling tubes, and metal halide or sodium lights in parking lots are not going away anytime soon.
Another hurdle is public wariness after the environmental exhortations of the 2000s, which led to much-disputed federal legislation to phase out the old incandescents, often in favor of compact fluorescent bulbs. In pursuing their goals, advocates played down problems like the harshness of fluorescent light, and difficulties with dimming the bulbs and dealing with the toxic mercury they contain. Now, some lighting scientists say, both consumers and investors are leery of buying into something they suspect might be substandard.
2013年4月23日星期二
NOCQUA Adventure Gear Launches at Carolina Cup
Thanks to a brand new product, paddlers and other watersport
enthusiasts will now have the opportunity to experience their favorite
sports in a whole new light. NOCQUA Adventure Gear will launch at this
year's Carolina Cup stand up paddleboard (SUP) competition in
Wrightsville Beach , N.C. on April 25-28. The multi-purpose LED lighting
system by I-Lumenate attaches to a stand up paddleboard, kayak or canoe
and allows paddlers to explore the excitement of being on the water at
night.
The flexible and adjustable lighting systems will be available for purchase and demo at the Carolina Cup event for the first time. The RECON system includes two waterproof LED lighting tracks, an adjustable harness, a 12V lithium ion rechargeable battery pack and battery charger. The durable underwater lights produce more than 2,000 lumens of light and are easily attachable and removable, utilizing two adjustable straps. Additional night paddling accessories will also be available for purchase throughout the weekend at the NOCQUA Adventure Gear booth.
Along with its product launch, NOCQUA Adventure Gear will lead a night paddle on Friday, April 26 at 8:30 p.m. on the sound side of the Blockade Runner to give select Carolina Cup competitors and media the exclusive opportunity to test the product for the first time. The equipment allows paddlers to experience the water like never before.
"NOCQUA Adventure Gear is a game changing product for paddlers," said Billy Rossini inventor and co-founder. "With the help of our advanced lighting system, paddlers can explore the water in an entirely new way. We're very excited about what night paddling has to offer the world of watersports."
As the fastest growing watersport, SUP is a popular way to stay fit and spend time with friends and family on the water. A total core and cardiovascular workout, SUP is an effective form of exercise that works the entire body. From paddle yoga to races like Carolina Cup, SUP is a fan favorite across all age groups and skill levels and is growing in popularity worldwide.
Carolina Cup will be held at Wrightsville Beach from April 25-28 and is known as the East Coast's largest SUP race. With more than 500 paddlers committed to compete in this year's event, including some of the best paddlers in the world, NOCQUA Adventure Gear is set to launch at the first major paddleboard event of the season.
The RECON system can be ordered online at a price of $399.99. For more information about the revolutionary NOCQUA Adventure Gear product line and technology, visit the product's website or plan a trip to Carolina Cup to experience night paddling firsthand.
Experience being on the water in a new light with NOCQUA Adventure Gear by I-Lumenate, the most innovative lighting product company in the world. Headquartered in Cornelius , N.C. , NOCQUA Adventure Gear is a flexible and adjustable LED lighting system that attaches to SUP, kayaks, canoes and more.
The flexible and adjustable lighting systems will be available for purchase and demo at the Carolina Cup event for the first time. The RECON system includes two waterproof LED lighting tracks, an adjustable harness, a 12V lithium ion rechargeable battery pack and battery charger. The durable underwater lights produce more than 2,000 lumens of light and are easily attachable and removable, utilizing two adjustable straps. Additional night paddling accessories will also be available for purchase throughout the weekend at the NOCQUA Adventure Gear booth.
Along with its product launch, NOCQUA Adventure Gear will lead a night paddle on Friday, April 26 at 8:30 p.m. on the sound side of the Blockade Runner to give select Carolina Cup competitors and media the exclusive opportunity to test the product for the first time. The equipment allows paddlers to experience the water like never before.
"NOCQUA Adventure Gear is a game changing product for paddlers," said Billy Rossini inventor and co-founder. "With the help of our advanced lighting system, paddlers can explore the water in an entirely new way. We're very excited about what night paddling has to offer the world of watersports."
As the fastest growing watersport, SUP is a popular way to stay fit and spend time with friends and family on the water. A total core and cardiovascular workout, SUP is an effective form of exercise that works the entire body. From paddle yoga to races like Carolina Cup, SUP is a fan favorite across all age groups and skill levels and is growing in popularity worldwide.
Carolina Cup will be held at Wrightsville Beach from April 25-28 and is known as the East Coast's largest SUP race. With more than 500 paddlers committed to compete in this year's event, including some of the best paddlers in the world, NOCQUA Adventure Gear is set to launch at the first major paddleboard event of the season.
The RECON system can be ordered online at a price of $399.99. For more information about the revolutionary NOCQUA Adventure Gear product line and technology, visit the product's website or plan a trip to Carolina Cup to experience night paddling firsthand.
Experience being on the water in a new light with NOCQUA Adventure Gear by I-Lumenate, the most innovative lighting product company in the world. Headquartered in Cornelius , N.C. , NOCQUA Adventure Gear is a flexible and adjustable LED lighting system that attaches to SUP, kayaks, canoes and more.
2013年4月18日星期四
Merck opens new tech development center
The center held its inauguration yesterday, and will be focusing on the development of new technology; studying OLED (organic light-emitting diode) and flexible panels, LED lighting and 3D techniques, said Hsieh. He added that the Center will provide punctual local service, reducing the technology development time span by 1-1.5 years for local clients.
OLEDs are used to create digital displays in devices such as television screens, computer monitors, portable systems such as mobile phones, handheld games consoles and PDAs.
An OLED is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which there is a film of organic compound that emits light in response to an electric current, commonly used in the lighting industry.
With Taiwan being at the forefront of new technologies including PS-VA panels and 4K2K panels, the future of the monitor and lighting industries is looking bright, said Merck Worldwide CEO Bernd Reckmann, emphasizing Merck's insight into the potential development of OLED and flexible panels in the future technology market.
Other than the emphasis on developing new technologies, the Merck development center allows for the optimal use of key materials in the Asia market; speeding up the market layout as laboratory resources and research results are open for sharing, assisting Taiwanese factories in utilizing commercial potential.
Merck plans on the importation of the latest materials and techniques (including the OLED inkjet technology), as a means to work around the current bottleneck of new technology development in Taiwan and to popularize new products.
The principle reason why Merck chose Taiwan to establish its new tech development center is Taiwan's leading position and industrial advantages in producing laptops, smartphones, plasma TVs, semiconductors, various panels and monitors, according to Reckmann.
The outstanding investment environment provides the logical breeding ground for new technologies when combined with dedicated local employees and quality manufacturing chains, Reckmann pointed out.
As Taiwan supplies advanced facilities and techniques, Merck finds it to be a desirable setting for producing technologies it aims to develop, and to provide face-to-face services unhindered by time differences. By eliminating the time difference, development staff can conduct development procedures according to the preferences of each client, shortening the time spent on product advancement, according to the chief executive.
OLEDs are used to create digital displays in devices such as television screens, computer monitors, portable systems such as mobile phones, handheld games consoles and PDAs.
An OLED is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which there is a film of organic compound that emits light in response to an electric current, commonly used in the lighting industry.
With Taiwan being at the forefront of new technologies including PS-VA panels and 4K2K panels, the future of the monitor and lighting industries is looking bright, said Merck Worldwide CEO Bernd Reckmann, emphasizing Merck's insight into the potential development of OLED and flexible panels in the future technology market.
Other than the emphasis on developing new technologies, the Merck development center allows for the optimal use of key materials in the Asia market; speeding up the market layout as laboratory resources and research results are open for sharing, assisting Taiwanese factories in utilizing commercial potential.
Merck plans on the importation of the latest materials and techniques (including the OLED inkjet technology), as a means to work around the current bottleneck of new technology development in Taiwan and to popularize new products.
The principle reason why Merck chose Taiwan to establish its new tech development center is Taiwan's leading position and industrial advantages in producing laptops, smartphones, plasma TVs, semiconductors, various panels and monitors, according to Reckmann.
The outstanding investment environment provides the logical breeding ground for new technologies when combined with dedicated local employees and quality manufacturing chains, Reckmann pointed out.
As Taiwan supplies advanced facilities and techniques, Merck finds it to be a desirable setting for producing technologies it aims to develop, and to provide face-to-face services unhindered by time differences. By eliminating the time difference, development staff can conduct development procedures according to the preferences of each client, shortening the time spent on product advancement, according to the chief executive.
2013年4月15日星期一
Consumers warm to LED bulbs as prices fall
If consumers are willing to spend $5 for a cup of coffee, how about
paying $25 for a light bulb? An LED version of the 60-watt bulb just
broke $13.
“They’re getting to a point where more people are willing to splurge,” he said.
Thanks to subsidies from utilities, improved quality and lower manufacturing costs, sales are expected to rise significantly this year, Connors said.
Part of the shift is by default. Since last year, incandescent bulbs are being phased out.
The 75-watt and 100-watt bulbs are no longer being manufactured, and the 40- and 60-watters will be eliminated next year.
Although retailers can still sell the bulbs if they have supplies, most retailers are now stocking halogens, compact fluorescents and LEDs, with only a few incandescent choices.
Although some might say LEDs are selling for lack of a better option, Connors thinks demand for LED will double this year for a different reason: the availability of cheaper, better bulbs.
Early adopters who were initially disappointed can now find mercury-free bulbs that do what incandescents do well: reach maximum brightness immediately and have the capability to be used with dimmers, motion detectors and enclosed fixtures.
Although today’s prices are a big plunge from $70 for a bulb in 2009, they still seem exorbitant for people used to paying 50 cents for an incandescent. But a 60-watt LED bulb that costs $13 pays for itself in about two years.
Assuming use of three hours a day, an incandescent burns about $7 in electricity per year, an LED $1 per year, said Mike Watson, vice president of marketing at Cree Inc., an LED manufacturer in North Carolina.
People used to choosing by wattage alone now have to look at lumens for brightness and kelvins for color. Consumers have to read labels now, said Kim Sherman, senior product portfolio manager at Xcel Energy.
The lack of consistency in size or shape makes it difficult for consumers to easily pick out the bulb they want. Besides 400 or 800 lumens and 2,700 or 4,000 kelvins, they have to read the label for a bulb’s ability to be dimmed or used in an enclosed fixture.
Consumers who want to replicate the features from an incandescent or halogen with an LED bulb often need assistance, Connors said. Dimmability is a big issue.
Most high-quality LEDs will dim without problems, but some bulbs work best with certain brands of dimmers. “The consumer’s best bet is to keep the packaging and the receipt, test it and return it if it doesn’t meet expectations,” Connors said.
Even an LED’s size and shape can cause problems. Many of the original recessed LED spotlights and floodlights didn’t fit existing openings. Cree changed the shape of its new A19 bulb to the classic incandescent.
Some are avoiding LEDs because of bad experiences with compact fluorescents, or CFLs. Manufacturers got it right this time, Connors said. LED bulbs are rugged compared with incandescents and CFLs.
“They’re getting to a point where more people are willing to splurge,” he said.
Thanks to subsidies from utilities, improved quality and lower manufacturing costs, sales are expected to rise significantly this year, Connors said.
Part of the shift is by default. Since last year, incandescent bulbs are being phased out.
The 75-watt and 100-watt bulbs are no longer being manufactured, and the 40- and 60-watters will be eliminated next year.
Although retailers can still sell the bulbs if they have supplies, most retailers are now stocking halogens, compact fluorescents and LEDs, with only a few incandescent choices.
Although some might say LEDs are selling for lack of a better option, Connors thinks demand for LED will double this year for a different reason: the availability of cheaper, better bulbs.
Early adopters who were initially disappointed can now find mercury-free bulbs that do what incandescents do well: reach maximum brightness immediately and have the capability to be used with dimmers, motion detectors and enclosed fixtures.
Although today’s prices are a big plunge from $70 for a bulb in 2009, they still seem exorbitant for people used to paying 50 cents for an incandescent. But a 60-watt LED bulb that costs $13 pays for itself in about two years.
Assuming use of three hours a day, an incandescent burns about $7 in electricity per year, an LED $1 per year, said Mike Watson, vice president of marketing at Cree Inc., an LED manufacturer in North Carolina.
People used to choosing by wattage alone now have to look at lumens for brightness and kelvins for color. Consumers have to read labels now, said Kim Sherman, senior product portfolio manager at Xcel Energy.
The lack of consistency in size or shape makes it difficult for consumers to easily pick out the bulb they want. Besides 400 or 800 lumens and 2,700 or 4,000 kelvins, they have to read the label for a bulb’s ability to be dimmed or used in an enclosed fixture.
Consumers who want to replicate the features from an incandescent or halogen with an LED bulb often need assistance, Connors said. Dimmability is a big issue.
Most high-quality LEDs will dim without problems, but some bulbs work best with certain brands of dimmers. “The consumer’s best bet is to keep the packaging and the receipt, test it and return it if it doesn’t meet expectations,” Connors said.
Even an LED’s size and shape can cause problems. Many of the original recessed LED spotlights and floodlights didn’t fit existing openings. Cree changed the shape of its new A19 bulb to the classic incandescent.
Some are avoiding LEDs because of bad experiences with compact fluorescents, or CFLs. Manufacturers got it right this time, Connors said. LED bulbs are rugged compared with incandescents and CFLs.
2013年4月11日星期四
Sharing Light hopes to share cash
Tenpa Dorjee isn't seeking to raise money for strangers with his
charity project in Laguna Beach. The Indian monastery that will benefit
from the campaign has a human face attached to it — one that Dorjee
believes he's seen in multiple forms.
On April 18, the Laguna Beach Film Society will screen the 2003 drama "Travellers and Magicians," the first feature film shot in the Asian country of Bhutan. Dorjee, the owner of Tibet Handicrafts in Laguna, is in charge of selling 100 tickets for the show. All proceeds will go toward the religious education of a boy who lives in Dorjee's home village, and who, according to Dorjee, is believed to be the reincarnation of a recently deceased Buddhist master.
Earlier this year, Dorjee's grass-roots campaign, known as Sharing Light, raised $10,000 in Laguna to fund solar lighting in the village. For the film society fundraiser, the group has a much more specific goal.
"Any money we raise from the movie, we want to put aside," said Dorjee, who lives in Anaheim and opened his shop in Laguna in 2010.
Some of the "Travellers" tickets are available in Tibet Handicrafts at 384 Forest Ave.; Dorjee has put a poster and fliers around the store and informs customers when they walk in. He'll have another opportunity before the screening to give a plug: Saturday at 6:30 p.m., Sharing Light will host a community dinner nearby at the Neighborhood Congregational Church, which includes a short presentation about the solar project.
Film society chair George Weiss, who favors eclectic programs, chose "Travellers" in part because he thought it might appeal to the local Buddhist crowd and in part because it has a Southern California connection — cinematographer Alan Kozlowski, a Santa Monica resident, will be in attendance at the screening to introduce the film.
Adding a charity element to the event, Weiss said, was a bonus.
"I've got 350 seats to fill," he said. "So I'm thinking, 'Why not have a local organization sell tickets to these films if they can and raise money for a good cause?'"
"Travellers," which won the Emerging Director Award at the Asian American International Film Festival in 2004, tells the story of a young government official who dreams of escaping his job in a remote rural village and seeking a headier life in America. As he hitchhikes away, a yarn about another restless young man told by a fellow traveler — a monk — leads the official to question the wisdom of his trip.
According to Kozlowski, the making of the film was a trek in itself: The filmmakers used aspiring Bhutanese filmmakers as trainees, per the request of the country's royal family, while director Khyentse Norbu often paused production for Buddhist ceremonies. All the actors in the film were local non-professionals, which led to a tricky situation at least once.
On April 18, the Laguna Beach Film Society will screen the 2003 drama "Travellers and Magicians," the first feature film shot in the Asian country of Bhutan. Dorjee, the owner of Tibet Handicrafts in Laguna, is in charge of selling 100 tickets for the show. All proceeds will go toward the religious education of a boy who lives in Dorjee's home village, and who, according to Dorjee, is believed to be the reincarnation of a recently deceased Buddhist master.
Earlier this year, Dorjee's grass-roots campaign, known as Sharing Light, raised $10,000 in Laguna to fund solar lighting in the village. For the film society fundraiser, the group has a much more specific goal.
"Any money we raise from the movie, we want to put aside," said Dorjee, who lives in Anaheim and opened his shop in Laguna in 2010.
Some of the "Travellers" tickets are available in Tibet Handicrafts at 384 Forest Ave.; Dorjee has put a poster and fliers around the store and informs customers when they walk in. He'll have another opportunity before the screening to give a plug: Saturday at 6:30 p.m., Sharing Light will host a community dinner nearby at the Neighborhood Congregational Church, which includes a short presentation about the solar project.
Film society chair George Weiss, who favors eclectic programs, chose "Travellers" in part because he thought it might appeal to the local Buddhist crowd and in part because it has a Southern California connection — cinematographer Alan Kozlowski, a Santa Monica resident, will be in attendance at the screening to introduce the film.
Adding a charity element to the event, Weiss said, was a bonus.
"I've got 350 seats to fill," he said. "So I'm thinking, 'Why not have a local organization sell tickets to these films if they can and raise money for a good cause?'"
"Travellers," which won the Emerging Director Award at the Asian American International Film Festival in 2004, tells the story of a young government official who dreams of escaping his job in a remote rural village and seeking a headier life in America. As he hitchhikes away, a yarn about another restless young man told by a fellow traveler — a monk — leads the official to question the wisdom of his trip.
According to Kozlowski, the making of the film was a trek in itself: The filmmakers used aspiring Bhutanese filmmakers as trainees, per the request of the country's royal family, while director Khyentse Norbu often paused production for Buddhist ceremonies. All the actors in the film were local non-professionals, which led to a tricky situation at least once.
2013年4月9日星期二
Audience joins Under the Streetlamp at Strathmore
Audiences at Strathmore will have a chance to revisit that simpler
time Saturday night when Under the Streetlamp performs in a
doo-wop-inspired concert.
Named for the spot where doo-wop singers in urban communities would gather to make music, Under the Streetlamp was formed in 2009. Cunio, Ingersoll, Jones and Wiley are all former members of the Chicago cast of the Broadway hit, “Jersey Boys.” After their respective shows wrapped, all four men wanted to continue singing the sounds of doo-wop, Motown and old time rock ‘n’ roll.
After starring in Chicago’s first national tour of the musical from 2006 to 2010, which reveals the story behind the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Ingersoll started performing a cabaret show on his own in the Chicagoland area. Soon, he convinced some of his fellow “Jersey Boys” alumnus to join him for a few numbers toward the end of his show.
“Eventually, the show was less about me and more about the four of us,” Ingersoll said.“ ... We became really great friends and we wanted to keep doing that,” added Wiley.
After gaining some exposure in the Chicago area and filming a PBS special which aired last year, Under the Streetlamp is now touring the country.
Though now out on their own, the guys of Under the Streetlamp all said they owe their success as a group to “Jersey Boys,” the show that gave them a start.
“My career can basically be defined pre-‘Jersey Boys’ and post-‘Jersey Boys,’” Ingersoll said. “It provided the foundation for the music ‘Streetlamp’ would make.”
While the music Streetlamp makes is certainly an ode to the era of doo-wop, it’s also heavily influenced by the diverse musical backgrounds of its four members.
“We all have these stories and these experiences ... because of those experiences, we’re able to pull songs from different things,” Wiley said. “We’re four completely different performers from completely different backgrounds ... I’ll always have to probably put my tap shoes on and do a number like that.”
Wiley grew up in Adrian, Mich., and said it was his father, a dancer, who first introduced him to old movie musicals.
“ ... We watched them together,” Wiley said. “While most fathers and sons were talking sports, my father and I were talking dance.”
Cunio’s early training was primarily in singing. The Seattle native was a member of the prestigious Northwest Boys Choir which he said is “responsible for handing [him] the keys to [his] career.”
“That’s where everything traces back to,” Cunio said. “That really not only instilled a deep love for music, but it was really all about the discipline.”
While musical training started early for both Wiley and Cunio, Ingersoll said it wasn’t until high school that he began doing musical theater.
“ ... I kind of came about this late,” Ingersoll said. “[I] got into theater and choir late in my high school career.”
Unlike his band mates who all grew up in the Midwest, Jones was born and raised in Hawaii. Growing up, the Northwestern University graduate also had quite an eclectic taste in music.
“I remember growing up listening to Aretha Franklin and the soundtrack to ‘Camelot’ back to back,” Jones said.
Each member of Under the Streetlamp may hail from very different musical backgrounds, but one thing all four men had in common was the important role community played in their introduction to the arts.
Named for the spot where doo-wop singers in urban communities would gather to make music, Under the Streetlamp was formed in 2009. Cunio, Ingersoll, Jones and Wiley are all former members of the Chicago cast of the Broadway hit, “Jersey Boys.” After their respective shows wrapped, all four men wanted to continue singing the sounds of doo-wop, Motown and old time rock ‘n’ roll.
After starring in Chicago’s first national tour of the musical from 2006 to 2010, which reveals the story behind the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Ingersoll started performing a cabaret show on his own in the Chicagoland area. Soon, he convinced some of his fellow “Jersey Boys” alumnus to join him for a few numbers toward the end of his show.
“Eventually, the show was less about me and more about the four of us,” Ingersoll said.“ ... We became really great friends and we wanted to keep doing that,” added Wiley.
After gaining some exposure in the Chicago area and filming a PBS special which aired last year, Under the Streetlamp is now touring the country.
Though now out on their own, the guys of Under the Streetlamp all said they owe their success as a group to “Jersey Boys,” the show that gave them a start.
“My career can basically be defined pre-‘Jersey Boys’ and post-‘Jersey Boys,’” Ingersoll said. “It provided the foundation for the music ‘Streetlamp’ would make.”
While the music Streetlamp makes is certainly an ode to the era of doo-wop, it’s also heavily influenced by the diverse musical backgrounds of its four members.
“We all have these stories and these experiences ... because of those experiences, we’re able to pull songs from different things,” Wiley said. “We’re four completely different performers from completely different backgrounds ... I’ll always have to probably put my tap shoes on and do a number like that.”
Wiley grew up in Adrian, Mich., and said it was his father, a dancer, who first introduced him to old movie musicals.
“ ... We watched them together,” Wiley said. “While most fathers and sons were talking sports, my father and I were talking dance.”
Cunio’s early training was primarily in singing. The Seattle native was a member of the prestigious Northwest Boys Choir which he said is “responsible for handing [him] the keys to [his] career.”
“That’s where everything traces back to,” Cunio said. “That really not only instilled a deep love for music, but it was really all about the discipline.”
While musical training started early for both Wiley and Cunio, Ingersoll said it wasn’t until high school that he began doing musical theater.
“ ... I kind of came about this late,” Ingersoll said. “[I] got into theater and choir late in my high school career.”
Unlike his band mates who all grew up in the Midwest, Jones was born and raised in Hawaii. Growing up, the Northwestern University graduate also had quite an eclectic taste in music.
“I remember growing up listening to Aretha Franklin and the soundtrack to ‘Camelot’ back to back,” Jones said.
Each member of Under the Streetlamp may hail from very different musical backgrounds, but one thing all four men had in common was the important role community played in their introduction to the arts.
2013年4月8日星期一
B/E Aerospace Announces First Lavatory Retrofit Award
B/E Aerospace, the world's leading manufacturer of aircraft cabin
interior products and the world's leading distributor of aerospace
fasteners and consumables, today announced that one of its airline
customers plans to retrofit its fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft with B/E
Aerospace modular lavatories. The airline also plans to retrofit its
entire fleet of 737 aircraft, with B/E Aerospace Aircraft Ecosystems
vacuum toilets, and eventually to upgrade the cabins of its 737 fleet
with B/E Aerospace LED lighting systems.
Through a combination of seat pitch adjustments, installation of B/E Aerospace lavatories, toilets and LED lighting, the airline plans to upgrade the interiors of its existing 737 fleet to more closely approximate the appearance and economics of their new to be delivered 737's which will have both the B/E Aerospace modular lavatories and toilets as well as B/E Aerospace LED lighting systems. The lavatories incorporate patent pending, Spacewall technology, which frees up floor space in the cabin, creating the opportunity to add up to six incremental passenger seats per aircraft. The B/E Aerospace lightweight LED lighting system which features adjustable lighting with full spectrum color capabilities, provides superior cabin ambiance and unprecedented lighting control.
"We are very pleased to announce our first 737 retrofit award for our modular lavatory systems. The B/E Aerospace lavatory is being developed in close coordination with Boeing and will become standard equipment for their new 737's. Boeing believes that the B/E Aerospace lavatory provides significant advantages to the interior of the 737 aircraft. Our lavatory has an improved look and feel, provides more useable space, and is more comfortable for passengers. In addition, through the design of the lavatory interior and antimicrobial coatings on the interior surfaces, the lavatory is cleaner and more hygienic. We expect to begin delivering certified lavatories to Boeing in the second half of this year," stated Amin J. Khoury, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of B/E Aerospace.
"We look forward to working with our airline partners on retrofitting their 737 fleets with multiple B/E Aerospace products. These awards specifically underscore our reputation for innovation driven by our successful R&D programs," continued Mr. Khoury.
Certain portions of the retrofit program are firm while other portions are under options. The first retrofit modular lavatories are expected to be delivered before the end of 2014. However, in addition to the modular lavatory and lighting retrofits, the airline has already begun retrofitting all of the airline's 737 aircraft with B/E Aerospace composite Aircraft Ecosystems vacuum toilets which are more hygienic, lighter weight, and require less maintenance than comparable toilets.
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual experience and results may differ materially from the experience and results anticipated in such statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include those discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which include its Proxy Statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.
For more information, see the section entitled "Forward-Looking Statements" contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and, except as required by federal securities laws and rules and regulations of the SEC, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Through a combination of seat pitch adjustments, installation of B/E Aerospace lavatories, toilets and LED lighting, the airline plans to upgrade the interiors of its existing 737 fleet to more closely approximate the appearance and economics of their new to be delivered 737's which will have both the B/E Aerospace modular lavatories and toilets as well as B/E Aerospace LED lighting systems. The lavatories incorporate patent pending, Spacewall technology, which frees up floor space in the cabin, creating the opportunity to add up to six incremental passenger seats per aircraft. The B/E Aerospace lightweight LED lighting system which features adjustable lighting with full spectrum color capabilities, provides superior cabin ambiance and unprecedented lighting control.
"We are very pleased to announce our first 737 retrofit award for our modular lavatory systems. The B/E Aerospace lavatory is being developed in close coordination with Boeing and will become standard equipment for their new 737's. Boeing believes that the B/E Aerospace lavatory provides significant advantages to the interior of the 737 aircraft. Our lavatory has an improved look and feel, provides more useable space, and is more comfortable for passengers. In addition, through the design of the lavatory interior and antimicrobial coatings on the interior surfaces, the lavatory is cleaner and more hygienic. We expect to begin delivering certified lavatories to Boeing in the second half of this year," stated Amin J. Khoury, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of B/E Aerospace.
"We look forward to working with our airline partners on retrofitting their 737 fleets with multiple B/E Aerospace products. These awards specifically underscore our reputation for innovation driven by our successful R&D programs," continued Mr. Khoury.
Certain portions of the retrofit program are firm while other portions are under options. The first retrofit modular lavatories are expected to be delivered before the end of 2014. However, in addition to the modular lavatory and lighting retrofits, the airline has already begun retrofitting all of the airline's 737 aircraft with B/E Aerospace composite Aircraft Ecosystems vacuum toilets which are more hygienic, lighter weight, and require less maintenance than comparable toilets.
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual experience and results may differ materially from the experience and results anticipated in such statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include those discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which include its Proxy Statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.
For more information, see the section entitled "Forward-Looking Statements" contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and, except as required by federal securities laws and rules and regulations of the SEC, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
2013年4月7日星期日
Wawasee Assessing Energy Cost Savings
The bottom line is when a school corporation can save on energy costs, it frees up money that can be used elsewhere.
Especially the last few years, budgets for the Wawasee Community School Corp. have either shrunk or shown very little increase. This has created an urgent need to look for ways to reduce energy costs.
The school corporation has already utilized the services of Performance Services of Indianapolis to implement several energy saving measures throughout the corporation – physically and behaviorally — and recently took another step to reduce energy consumption.
Last week, representatives of Energizing Indiana, as well as NIPSCO, toured Wawasee Middle School to do a thorough energy assessment of the entire building. Joining them and all with WCSC were Bob Lahrman, director of support services; Randy Johnson, energy management supervisor; and Brian Taylor, director of facilities and maintenance.
Energizing Indiana is a united effort by the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, participating utilities and consumer organizations to offer comprehensive energy efficiency programs that bring savings to communities statewide. NIPSCO, in partnership with Energizing Indiana, offers a school audit and direct install program.
Schools can submit an application to participate in the program. WMS, originally built in the late 1980s and more than 20 years old, qualified. Last year, after considering having a geothermal system installed at WMS, the school board voted against it.
Doug Munz and Seth Little of Energizing Indiana were assisted by Chris Pieri, school account representative of NIPSCO, for the energy assessment of WMS. For the last several years, many energy saving measures have been implemented at WMS including, among many others, replacing existing hot water heaters with energy efficient ones, installing carbon dioxide sensors in the large areas and replacing most heating coils in existing air handlers.
This summer, an energy management system will be installed to control exhaust fans, motion sensors for hallway lighting will be installed and the air compressor will be removed from the boiler room.
School building energy assessments include, but are not necessarily limited to, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, lighting, kitchen appliances, insulation levels and other building systems. Munz, Little and Pieri noted they were positively impressed by all the energy saving measures already in place, but typically even more can be done. A detailed report will be submitted to the school corporation within the next couple of weeks.
Part of the school energy savings program includes Energizing Indiana installing energy efficient products to include vending machine controllers, compact fluorescent light bulbs, occupancy sensing power strips, lighting occupancy sensors and LED exit signs. Noting most exit signs are already LED at WMS, Little suggested focusing on the vending machines and occupancy sensors, which was agreed upon. The energy saving products are scheduled to be installed Wednesday, Little added.
Especially the last few years, budgets for the Wawasee Community School Corp. have either shrunk or shown very little increase. This has created an urgent need to look for ways to reduce energy costs.
The school corporation has already utilized the services of Performance Services of Indianapolis to implement several energy saving measures throughout the corporation – physically and behaviorally — and recently took another step to reduce energy consumption.
Last week, representatives of Energizing Indiana, as well as NIPSCO, toured Wawasee Middle School to do a thorough energy assessment of the entire building. Joining them and all with WCSC were Bob Lahrman, director of support services; Randy Johnson, energy management supervisor; and Brian Taylor, director of facilities and maintenance.
Energizing Indiana is a united effort by the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, participating utilities and consumer organizations to offer comprehensive energy efficiency programs that bring savings to communities statewide. NIPSCO, in partnership with Energizing Indiana, offers a school audit and direct install program.
Schools can submit an application to participate in the program. WMS, originally built in the late 1980s and more than 20 years old, qualified. Last year, after considering having a geothermal system installed at WMS, the school board voted against it.
Doug Munz and Seth Little of Energizing Indiana were assisted by Chris Pieri, school account representative of NIPSCO, for the energy assessment of WMS. For the last several years, many energy saving measures have been implemented at WMS including, among many others, replacing existing hot water heaters with energy efficient ones, installing carbon dioxide sensors in the large areas and replacing most heating coils in existing air handlers.
This summer, an energy management system will be installed to control exhaust fans, motion sensors for hallway lighting will be installed and the air compressor will be removed from the boiler room.
School building energy assessments include, but are not necessarily limited to, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, lighting, kitchen appliances, insulation levels and other building systems. Munz, Little and Pieri noted they were positively impressed by all the energy saving measures already in place, but typically even more can be done. A detailed report will be submitted to the school corporation within the next couple of weeks.
Part of the school energy savings program includes Energizing Indiana installing energy efficient products to include vending machine controllers, compact fluorescent light bulbs, occupancy sensing power strips, lighting occupancy sensors and LED exit signs. Noting most exit signs are already LED at WMS, Little suggested focusing on the vending machines and occupancy sensors, which was agreed upon. The energy saving products are scheduled to be installed Wednesday, Little added.
2013年4月6日星期六
Edmonds church says care for creation its duty
When Edmonds United Methodist Church needed a new furnace a few years ago, the church leadership didn't just go out and buy a newer version of the one they already had.
They put together a committee, hired a consultant, researched the topic and bought a boiler that's using less energy and saving $6,000 per year in heating costs over the old model.
The church again saved by replacing all the old lighting in its building at 828 Caspers St. with newer, more energy-efficient LED bulbs.
While these projects saved money for the church, the real inspiration behind them is one Edmonds United Methodist shares with a growing number of churches nationwide: combining their Christian faith with concern for the environment.
There's even a name for it: "creation care."
"Part of our faith is the sacredness of creation and the stewardship of creation that's entrusted to us," said the Rev. Kathlyn James, senior pastor at Edmonds United Methodist. "I feel like caring for the Earth is a huge part of our trust that needs to be recovered in our time."
The church marks Earth Day with an annual "Earth Sunday" that includes an environmentally related service along with booths and other activities.
This year's program is Sunday. Earth Day is traditionally observed on April 22, but Edmonds United Methodist celebrates it each year on the Sunday after Easter.
The featured speaker is Kurt Hoelting, who will discuss his year of traveling only by foot, bicycle, kayak, and public transportation within 100 kilometers -- 62 miles -- of his Whidbey Island home. He wrote a book about his experiences titled "The Circumference of Home: One Man's Yearlong Quest For A Radically Local Life." Services are scheduled for 9 and 10:30 a.m.
Edmonds United Methodist is one of 60 churches to be certified as a "Greening Congregation" by Earth Ministry of Seattle, a nonprofit group that works with churches on environmental stewardship.
To achieve the certification, the congregation must include creation care in its mission statement and submit an annual plan to Earth Ministry for how the mission will be accomplished.
"Then we support them in terms of resources, education and political advocacy," said Jessie Dye, program and outreach director for Earth Ministry.
Nationally, several Christian and interfaith organizations have formed around environmental issues. "It is a dramatic movement," Dye said.
Earth Ministry doesn't shy away from the political end of environmental issues. For instance, it's chimed in against the proposed Gateway Pacific terminal near Bellingham that would export coal to Asia. Earth Ministry staff plan to fly to Washington, D.C., this week to lobby on the issue, Dye said.
She understands that some congregations get nervous about politics.
"Many people are uncomfortable starting with political issues but understand they need to take care of their own home and own church and own neighborhood," she said. "We meet people where they are. If they want to start by recycling, that's wonderful. Recycling is an act of worship."
They put together a committee, hired a consultant, researched the topic and bought a boiler that's using less energy and saving $6,000 per year in heating costs over the old model.
The church again saved by replacing all the old lighting in its building at 828 Caspers St. with newer, more energy-efficient LED bulbs.
While these projects saved money for the church, the real inspiration behind them is one Edmonds United Methodist shares with a growing number of churches nationwide: combining their Christian faith with concern for the environment.
There's even a name for it: "creation care."
"Part of our faith is the sacredness of creation and the stewardship of creation that's entrusted to us," said the Rev. Kathlyn James, senior pastor at Edmonds United Methodist. "I feel like caring for the Earth is a huge part of our trust that needs to be recovered in our time."
The church marks Earth Day with an annual "Earth Sunday" that includes an environmentally related service along with booths and other activities.
This year's program is Sunday. Earth Day is traditionally observed on April 22, but Edmonds United Methodist celebrates it each year on the Sunday after Easter.
The featured speaker is Kurt Hoelting, who will discuss his year of traveling only by foot, bicycle, kayak, and public transportation within 100 kilometers -- 62 miles -- of his Whidbey Island home. He wrote a book about his experiences titled "The Circumference of Home: One Man's Yearlong Quest For A Radically Local Life." Services are scheduled for 9 and 10:30 a.m.
Edmonds United Methodist is one of 60 churches to be certified as a "Greening Congregation" by Earth Ministry of Seattle, a nonprofit group that works with churches on environmental stewardship.
To achieve the certification, the congregation must include creation care in its mission statement and submit an annual plan to Earth Ministry for how the mission will be accomplished.
"Then we support them in terms of resources, education and political advocacy," said Jessie Dye, program and outreach director for Earth Ministry.
Nationally, several Christian and interfaith organizations have formed around environmental issues. "It is a dramatic movement," Dye said.
Earth Ministry doesn't shy away from the political end of environmental issues. For instance, it's chimed in against the proposed Gateway Pacific terminal near Bellingham that would export coal to Asia. Earth Ministry staff plan to fly to Washington, D.C., this week to lobby on the issue, Dye said.
She understands that some congregations get nervous about politics.
"Many people are uncomfortable starting with political issues but understand they need to take care of their own home and own church and own neighborhood," she said. "We meet people where they are. If they want to start by recycling, that's wonderful. Recycling is an act of worship."
2013年4月2日星期二
San Jose has the tools to bring back manufacturing
After the recent demolition of the San Jose Medical Center, only a rickety, abandoned warehouse remains on the site along St. John Street. This unlikely monument to tech manufacturing once housed IBM's first West Coast operations in 1946, ushering in an era of rapidly rising living standards for thousands of blue-collar workers throughout Silicon Valley.
The valley's most recent resurgence, however, appears as troubling as it is impressive. It has exposed wide disparities in opportunity. High-skilled engineers and professionals prosper, yet San Jose's unemployment rate still exceeds 8 percent.
Many hope that a nascent "re-shoring" trend in manufacturing -- spurred by rising wages and fuel prices in Asia -- will bring jobs that will boost the fortunes of thousands of still-struggling U.S. families. Yet few expect manufacturers to flock to high-cost cities like San Jose to mass-produce cheap, simple widgets.
Rather, San Jose must exploit its advantages in high-value-added manufacturing. Local manufacturers like Solar Junction, which makes the world's most efficient concentrated photovoltaic cells, excel by marrying innovative technologies with the region's exceptional educational and business ecosystem. This enables companies to move rapidly from prototype to product.
How can San Jose ride this wave of re-shoring to more manufacturing jobs? By focusing on three essentials: sites, skills and sales.
Manufacturers need industrial sites, which are increasingly scarce. Over decades, San Jose has converted thousands of acres of industrial land to housing. The recent revision of the city's General Plan instead provides for housing through denser residential growth along transit corridors. City officials must resist the powerful political and economic forces that eroded similarly well-intentioned general plans in the past.
Recent arrivals in San Jose such as Bestronics, Vitron and Zoll want to locate manufacturing operations near design, research and engineering to hasten the feedback loop that spurs innovation. City Hall can help by providing spaces for demonstration and testing of early-stage technologies.
Within months, ProspeCT SV will launch, transforming a city-owned warehouse into manufacturing, laboratory and office space for cleantech manufacturers to develop prototypes. Unlike past RDA-funded incubators, sophisticated partners like Applied Materials and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will drive this effort.
The city also can expand the use of its streetscapes and buildings as public laboratories to demonstrate local manufacturers' prototypes, as Transportation Director Hans Larsen has pioneered with LED smart-lights, low-emissions concrete and electric car-charging stations.
Finally, San Jose must sell itself as the prime location for tech manufacturing. Let's tell any manufacturer that its plant will get permits within 45 days or we'll refund the fees. Let's build bridges to other dynamic economies by partnering with local organizations like The Indus Enterprises, SVG Accelerator and China SV, and let's promote visa programs to attract foreign investment. Let's enlist our tech executives to sell their peers on San Jose's advantages, such as the tax-favored status of manufacturers located within our Enterprise Zone and Foreign Trade Zone.
The valley's most recent resurgence, however, appears as troubling as it is impressive. It has exposed wide disparities in opportunity. High-skilled engineers and professionals prosper, yet San Jose's unemployment rate still exceeds 8 percent.
Many hope that a nascent "re-shoring" trend in manufacturing -- spurred by rising wages and fuel prices in Asia -- will bring jobs that will boost the fortunes of thousands of still-struggling U.S. families. Yet few expect manufacturers to flock to high-cost cities like San Jose to mass-produce cheap, simple widgets.
Rather, San Jose must exploit its advantages in high-value-added manufacturing. Local manufacturers like Solar Junction, which makes the world's most efficient concentrated photovoltaic cells, excel by marrying innovative technologies with the region's exceptional educational and business ecosystem. This enables companies to move rapidly from prototype to product.
How can San Jose ride this wave of re-shoring to more manufacturing jobs? By focusing on three essentials: sites, skills and sales.
Manufacturers need industrial sites, which are increasingly scarce. Over decades, San Jose has converted thousands of acres of industrial land to housing. The recent revision of the city's General Plan instead provides for housing through denser residential growth along transit corridors. City officials must resist the powerful political and economic forces that eroded similarly well-intentioned general plans in the past.
Recent arrivals in San Jose such as Bestronics, Vitron and Zoll want to locate manufacturing operations near design, research and engineering to hasten the feedback loop that spurs innovation. City Hall can help by providing spaces for demonstration and testing of early-stage technologies.
Within months, ProspeCT SV will launch, transforming a city-owned warehouse into manufacturing, laboratory and office space for cleantech manufacturers to develop prototypes. Unlike past RDA-funded incubators, sophisticated partners like Applied Materials and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will drive this effort.
The city also can expand the use of its streetscapes and buildings as public laboratories to demonstrate local manufacturers' prototypes, as Transportation Director Hans Larsen has pioneered with LED smart-lights, low-emissions concrete and electric car-charging stations.
Finally, San Jose must sell itself as the prime location for tech manufacturing. Let's tell any manufacturer that its plant will get permits within 45 days or we'll refund the fees. Let's build bridges to other dynamic economies by partnering with local organizations like The Indus Enterprises, SVG Accelerator and China SV, and let's promote visa programs to attract foreign investment. Let's enlist our tech executives to sell their peers on San Jose's advantages, such as the tax-favored status of manufacturers located within our Enterprise Zone and Foreign Trade Zone.
2013年4月1日星期一
Saving millions
It employs five acres of photovoltaic solar panels to generate one megawatt (MW) of electricity to power its 125 acres of tomato-growing greenhouses.
The company captures and reuses rainwater and water run-off using a four-acre reservoir equipped with filtration technology, while computer-monitored drip irrigation ensures that water and fertilisers are used as efficiently as possible in the production of its hydroponically grown tomatoes. Any excess water is also treated and recycled.
The company estimates that this method of production uses about a sixth of the water and one 10th of the land typically needed to produce the same amount of product via traditional agricultural practices.
But "clean tech" costs have fallen dramatically. For example, installing photovoltaic solar panels costs half what it did three years ago, while improvements in energy-efficient lighting mean businesses can now save millions on their electricity bills.
Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology has been around since the 1960s, but it has advanced so far that the latest units now use less than half the wattage of the high-pressure sodium and mercury vapour bulbs traditionally used in industrial locations, while also providing brighter illumination and lasting for up to 10 years.
Dialight, a British company that specialises in LED lighting for large industry and public sector clients around the world, reckons upgrading from old-school to clean tech lighting can save businesses 50% on their lighting electricity costs and recoup the capital outlay within three years.
Geoff Smyth, head of technology and delivery for the Carbon Trust, agrees, saying: "Lighting accounts for 20% to 50% of total energy consumed in commercial buildings, and a lot of the time the lights don't even need to be on.
"With these breakthroughs in LED and lighting management technology, businesses can achieve energy savings of 70% to 80% and see a payback on their investment within two or three years."
For example, one small hotel upgrading 80 lights to LEDs spent 22,000 on the project, says Smyth, but is now achieving annual savings of 6,600 on its energy bill.
Ron Pernick, managing director of Clean Edge, a US-based clean tech research and advisory company, says: "Innovations in visualising energy efficiency, paired with big data, are already having a significant impact on energy usage. Efficiency continues to be the low-hanging fruit for most companies and governments."
For example, C3 Energy, a "big data" analytics specialist, provides software and monitoring systems that can show large and small businesses how much energy they are using and on what processes, then compare these with buildings and businesses in the same area.
As the software builds up a detailed profile of the business, it can then suggest ways energy consumption can be reduced, such as by upgrading equipment
Similarly, Wireless Energy Management Systems (WEMS), whose clients include Marks & Spencer, BT and Boots, provide a range of wireless sensors and controllers that can monitor and adjust a building's entire energy usage, reducing lighting and temperature levels if it is bright and warm outside, for example.
The company captures and reuses rainwater and water run-off using a four-acre reservoir equipped with filtration technology, while computer-monitored drip irrigation ensures that water and fertilisers are used as efficiently as possible in the production of its hydroponically grown tomatoes. Any excess water is also treated and recycled.
The company estimates that this method of production uses about a sixth of the water and one 10th of the land typically needed to produce the same amount of product via traditional agricultural practices.
But "clean tech" costs have fallen dramatically. For example, installing photovoltaic solar panels costs half what it did three years ago, while improvements in energy-efficient lighting mean businesses can now save millions on their electricity bills.
Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology has been around since the 1960s, but it has advanced so far that the latest units now use less than half the wattage of the high-pressure sodium and mercury vapour bulbs traditionally used in industrial locations, while also providing brighter illumination and lasting for up to 10 years.
Dialight, a British company that specialises in LED lighting for large industry and public sector clients around the world, reckons upgrading from old-school to clean tech lighting can save businesses 50% on their lighting electricity costs and recoup the capital outlay within three years.
Geoff Smyth, head of technology and delivery for the Carbon Trust, agrees, saying: "Lighting accounts for 20% to 50% of total energy consumed in commercial buildings, and a lot of the time the lights don't even need to be on.
"With these breakthroughs in LED and lighting management technology, businesses can achieve energy savings of 70% to 80% and see a payback on their investment within two or three years."
For example, one small hotel upgrading 80 lights to LEDs spent 22,000 on the project, says Smyth, but is now achieving annual savings of 6,600 on its energy bill.
Ron Pernick, managing director of Clean Edge, a US-based clean tech research and advisory company, says: "Innovations in visualising energy efficiency, paired with big data, are already having a significant impact on energy usage. Efficiency continues to be the low-hanging fruit for most companies and governments."
For example, C3 Energy, a "big data" analytics specialist, provides software and monitoring systems that can show large and small businesses how much energy they are using and on what processes, then compare these with buildings and businesses in the same area.
As the software builds up a detailed profile of the business, it can then suggest ways energy consumption can be reduced, such as by upgrading equipment
Similarly, Wireless Energy Management Systems (WEMS), whose clients include Marks & Spencer, BT and Boots, provide a range of wireless sensors and controllers that can monitor and adjust a building's entire energy usage, reducing lighting and temperature levels if it is bright and warm outside, for example.
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