Control Climate Change

Date: 8/16/2007
Location: Boyne City, MI

6:30 p.m.; Registration is due August 10th.
Agenda (PDF 48 KB) Download Adobe Reader
Very few Michigan jurisdictions have laws on their books to guide local land use officials who must decide on permit applications for siting new wind energy facilities. Jurisdictions that proactively plan for wind turbines and specifically regulate their installation will avoid a measure of uncertainty and the unfortunate public discord that sometimes comes along with new land use proposals.

This workshop will introduce the participants to the new "Michigan Siting Guidelines for Wind Energy Systems"; the Manistee County Pilot Project; and the State Energy Demonstration Center with the following speakers:

Michael Klepinger, Outreach Specialist
MSU Land Policy Institute
"Planning and Zoning Guidelines for Siting Wind Energy Systems"

Jeremy Wittrock, Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association
"Manistee County Wind Energy Planning Pilot Project"

Who Should Attend?

Local elected and appointed officials, developers, planning and design professionals, businesses, and others who are interested in wind energy.

Please register early. The number of participants will be capped at 50.

Date: 8/18/2007
Location: Reno, NV

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The inaugural Nevada Clean Energy Summit will emphasize the importance of clean energy development to Nevada and U.S. energy independence and will illustrate that Nevada is an ideal location for performing renewable energy research, manufacturing renewable energy systems, and generating renewable energy for the western United States. The event will feature U.S. Senator Harry Reid, federal, state and local officials, and other special guests. This event is FREE to attend thanks to the support of our sponsors. RSVP required by August 15, 2007. Space is limited.

Date: 8/21/2007
Location: Akron, CO

Presenters will address these questions:

• What is the current technology and how viable is it?
• What technology will be implemented in the next 3-5 years?
• What is potential technology beyond 5 years?

Date: 8/24/2007 to 8/25/2007
Location: Aspen, CO

The fourth annual American Renewable Energy Day (AREDAY) promotes education and awareness on renewable energy solutions to global warming. Renewable energy experts explain how individuals and communities can reduce their carbon footprint and support our renewable energy future.

Friday August 24

In the historic Wheeler Opera House in downtown Aspen at 3:00 p.m.
Colorado Governor Bill Ritter delivers a keynote speech: "Leading Our Renewable Energy Future." Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper will join the governor in outlining plans to make the 2008 Democratic National Convention sustainable, develop renewable energy resources, and reduce carbon emissions throughout the city of Denver, the state of Colorado and the nation.

Also joining the Colorado Governor and Denver Mayor are, Bill Becker from The Presidential Climate Action Plan, Mike Bowman; the 25x25 Campaign, Larry Flowers; Wind Powering America-National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Pat Spears the Intertribal Council On Utility Policy and Heidi VanGenderen Senior Advisor on Climate Change & Energy for the State of Colorado.

Our speakers will be joined by Randy Udall, Executive Director of the Community Office for Resource Efficiency moderating a panel discussion on America's Energy Future.

Saturday August 25

From 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on the Cooper Avenue Mall and Wagner Park
Speakers, renewable energy booths, and demonstrations will be offered to the public.

Live Music with Jimmy Ibbotson, free Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and a bungee trampoline will ensure plenty of fun for the whole family.

A Hydrogen Hummer and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's RnEEW Bus, "a renewable energy museum on wheels," will be on display. Government organizations ranging from the Department of Energy, the Western Area Power Administration and Wind Powering America as well as representatives from the public and private sectors including The City of Aspen, Native Energy, the Intertribal Council On Utility Policy, Austin Energy Plug-In Partnership and the 25x'25 initiative will be present.

Many examples of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies will be presented by local, regional and national organizations.

At 4:00 pm the film "Crude Impact" will screen at the Wheeler Opera House. Filmmakers James Janek Wood and Steve Michaelson will be on hand to introduce their film.

Please join us for a day of renewable energy education and celebration to learn what you can do to help reduce your carbon footprint in the fight against global warming!

*Speakers, Times and Events subject to change

Rain, rain, rain. responsibletravel.com has had its best ever month, partly we suspect because Brits are abandoning soggy Britain in search of some sun (a shame because we've more than doubled the number of lovely eco UK accommodations on the site in the past two months) .

The Irish government has almost doubled the money it gives to local authorities to help tackle litter.

Now a month into the job, John Gormley, Ireland's Environment Minister and head of the country's Green Party, has outlined his priorities - and said he believes global warming threatens our very existence.

The American Lung Association(R) Health House(R) provides tips about selection and use of furnace filters to help ensure better indoor air quality.

Date: 7/23/2007
Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Small Wind Energy Newsletter, August 2007.

The Small Wind Certification Working Group recently adopted the organization plan for the new North American Small Wind Certification Corporation (SWCC). The organization plan provides the blueprint for the start-up and launch of the SWCC. SWCC will work with the small wind industry, governments, and other stakeholders to develop and implement quality certification programs.

Date: 7/23/2007
Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Small Wind Energy Newsletter, August 2007.

A small turbine was recently installed at the headquarters of Sangre De Cristo Electric Association, Inc. in Buena Vista, Colorado. The turbine will provide a portion of the electricity used by the headquarters building. Through the use of an interactive computer kiosk in the headquarter building the small wind turbine will be monitored on a real-time basis allowing consumers to see any data they are interested in about the wind turbine's production. Tours will also be available for educational purposes to any group that requests them.

Here’s what you need to know about recent changes to car and truck miles per gallon estimates. Also, how to improve your fuel economy and in the process save money and reduce pollution.

Those familiar yellow school buses may be the safest way to get our children to school, but they also subject children to harmful pollution. Thankfully, there are many emerging means for communities to clean up what carries our most precious cargo.

Proper tire pressure is critical to fuel economy, and digital gauges are the most accurate way to determine if you’re over- or under-inflated.

General Motors’ plug-in electric car, the Volt, is now more than just a concept.

China is planning to build a road to the Everest slopes. A local Tibetan guide said he felt that they were turning Tibet into 'Everestland' and by doing so hoping to obliterate the history of Tibet, and of China's occupation of Tibet.

100 million people recently voted on a list to replace that compiled by Greek scholar Antipater of Sidon 2,100 years ago. The results were -

Chichen Itza - Mexico
Machu Picchu - Peru
Petra - Jordan
Taj Mahal - India
Christ Redeemer - Rio
Great Wall of China
Colosseum - Italy




You can visit all of the places via holidays on responsibletravel.com. However amazing these places are isn't it a shame so much attention gets focussed on so few places?

My unofficial additions would be Lalibela in Ethiopia, the Great Pyramids, Brighton Pier (just joking)... Of course the list just focusses on buildings - if it didn't then the Masai Mara, Victoria Falls, the Tibetan plateau and the Great barrier reef would be on my list too. Any too add?

Date: 6/3/2007

Presented at WINDPOWER 2007, Los Angeles, CA, June 3-6, 2007.

Date: 7/19/2007
Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Small Wind Energy Newsletter, August 2007.

The American Wind Energy Association's newly-released 2007 Small Wind Turbine Global Market Study finds that U.S. manufacturers continue to dominate the world small turbine market. Roughly half of all U.S. manufacturers' sales are made overseas, while jobs remain within U.S. borders. Seven thousand Americans purchased small wind turbines last year for their homes, farms, or small businesses, showing increasing demand for residential-scale systems.

Date: 6/5/2007

Presented at WINDPOWER 2007, Los Angeles, CA, June 3-6, 2007. The presentation discusses the most common models of school wind projects, the depopulation of the Great Plains, the Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Laboratory Wind for Schools Project, the Walsenburg, Colorado, pilot project, the wind for schools project approach, the wind energy system, state facilitators, and wind application centers.

Earth Tech, in conjunction with its technology partners Linde and HotRot has developed an integrated waste treatment facility, valued at £9.8 million for the Western Isles Council off the north-west coast of Scotland. The hybrid waste treatment facility is unlike any other currently operating in the UK.

If you would like to listen to the sounds of responsible travel then..

Listen to the radio ad here

Please see the Web site for more information.

News in Brief

Date: 7/9/2007
Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Small Wind Energy Newsletter, August 2007.

The U.S. Department of Energy, through its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), has released a request for proposals (RFP) for commercially available small wind turbines to be tested at NREL's National Wind Technology Center. The RFP targets commercially available small wind turbines that have a high probability of success in the U.S. market over the next several years. Up to eight small turbines will be selected for testing. Please see the Web site for more information.

Date: 7/7/2007
Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Small Wind Energy Newsletter, August 2007.

The Renaissance Group, of Kirtland Ohio, erected a new Skystream 3.7 turbine as part of a demonstration workshop at the American Solar Energy Society's Solar 2007 conference held in Cleveland, Ohio. Located on a small grassy patch adjacent to the popular public boat launch ramps along Lake Erie, this turbine is grid connected and generating power behind the meter for the adjacent Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District water treatment plant. While the 1.8 kW turbine is tiny in comparison to the power needs of this plant, its visibility to the public and demonstration of shoreline wind potential is valuable.

Date: 8/22/2007
Location: Dallas, TX

The purpose of the National Wind Coordinating Collaborative's third meeting on transmission in the Southwest Power Pool region is:

• To share and discuss studies, policies, and other developments focused on increasing transmission availability for wind energy in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and neighboring jurisdictions;
• To learn about large transmission projects providing means of delivering more wind power to markets;
• To discuss how financing influences transmission expansion;
• To consider potential risks and opportunities of wind participation in energy imbalance markets; and
• To discuss needed next steps to increase wind power movement from West to East in the SPP region and who will carry out those next steps.

Please see the Web site for the agenda and more information.

Date: 9/27/2007 to 9/28/2007
Location: Fort Collins, CO

This year's event focuses on increasing wind, solar, and geothermal energy in the western grid. The meeting purpose is:

• To provide an executive leadership forum for discussing recent developments influencing demand for renewable energy and the implications for integrating large amounts of renewable energy into the transmission grid;
• To examine transmission expansion possibilities for accommodating large amounts of renewable energy,obtain commitments from regional and national leaders for moving those activities forward; and
• To discuss actions needed to integrate large amounts of renewable energy in the western grid

Please see the Web site for an agenda and more information.

We've seen a real surge in enquiries over the past few days - maybe it's the miserable weather in the UK? While its always possible to book cheap package holidays from mass tourism operators at the last minute (not our type of holiday at all) the situation with our holidays is quite different because they do not book the flights in advance. Many of our trips have places on them, but operators cannot find flights. Our tip is a) not to wait any longer b) enquire about several trips or c) after you have found a holiday that you like ask amelia@responsibletravel.com to help you find similiar trips from other operators...

Over the past 3 months we've been focussing on building up the UK section of our site, its now double the size it was and there are some really wonderful places to visit. Some of my favourites include staying on an organic farm in Cornwall. Find ideas here

If you are looking for July departures for a family holiday then look no further than this trip to Egypt - it's one of the most popular sellers on the site with some really amazing reviews from travellers. Your kids will probably already know about the Pyramids and Tutankhamun, but there's nothing like seeing the real thing for yourself!