Bloomberg Wants To Tap Wind for Power

Interesting article from the Associated Press I thought I would share.....

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed putting windmills on city bridges and rooftops as part of an ambitious push for renewable energy.
Bloomberg outlined his plan Tuesday night at a Las Vegas conference on alternative energy.

"In New York, we don't think of alternative power as something that we just import from other parts of the nation," he said.
The mayor says he will approach private companies and investors to study how turbines can be built throughout the city. On Tuesday, the city also issued a formal request to companies around the country for ways to build wind, solar and waterbased energy sources in the city.
"We want their best ideas for creating both small- and large-scale projects serving New Yorkers," Bloomberg said.
It would take years to turn New York City into a major source of wind power. But Bloomberg, who has 18 months left in office, says he is committed to getting the discussion going with the aim of reducing the city's dependence on a power grid that caused several large blackouts in the past decade.
Major obstacles to the technology include neighborhood opposition to the windmills; the high cost of building and running them; and a host of permits that would be needed from state and federal agencies.
But the mayor said offshore turbines could be placed "as much as 15, 20, 25 miles offshore, where it's virtually invisible to land."
Smaller eggbeater-like models could be used on rooftops. "You can make them so small that people think they are part of the design," Rohit Aggarwala, director of the city's Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, told The New York Times.
Aides to the mayor said Bloomberg has met with oil investor T. Boone Pickens to discuss how wind power could be used in New York City. Pickens has proposed building the world's largest wind farm in Texas.

Bahar Shahpar

I stumbled across this amazing designer the other day. I love her clothes. The dresses are adorable!! I love everything on her website and I love her philosophy- which i have cut and pasted below. Please check out this talented designers page: http://www.baharshahpar.com/

"Sustainability is the cornerstone of our manufacturing philosophy. It has become increasingly clear that we can no longer ignore the impact of industry on our health, habitats, and resources, both present and future — it seems only logical to adopt more sustainable practices.
Producing locally here in New York, Bahar Shahpar designs using only ecologically sound materials, minimizing waste and overall energy consumption in every instance possible. Fibers are evaluated according to the methods used for their cultivation, processing, and finishing, and vintage trims, natural buttons, and unbleached organic cotton linings are incorporated into most pieces.
Combining turn-of-the-century femininity with a sharp playful edge, the line balances style with substance, honoring artisanship while maintaining a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. It is clothing for a cultivated consumer. "

Heart vs. Brain: To Drill or Not to Drill and T. Boone Pickens

For the few people that read this blog- my apologies. I have been MIA for way too long. Part of the reason is that I have been on vacation for a while. The other reason is I have been at a loss as to what I can write. This last month, I have been struggling with my beliefs pertaining to off-shore drilling. I promised that I wouldn’t bring politics into this blog but on this issue I feel like I need to bc it can help you understand where I am coming from. So here is where I stand- I am a liberal when it comes to social issues. That’s my heart. But my Brain, well it's a bit different. It's conservative. SO my heart is a liberal and my brain is a conservative. My heart tells me- no drilling - what if there is an oil spill- think of all the animals that could be affected etc... think of all the toxic chemicals that are released during drilling- which some experts have said can remain in the environment long after the drilling is complete.
Oh, But my head says...are you crazy, look at the price of gas. Look how dependent we are on foreign oil. We need to explore our own resources- Our economy needs a break- Will drilling bring relief- yes it will. But the question is for how long? And I think the answer is: not long enough.
So, do I think we should drill? Yes, I think I do. And I am slightly embarrassed because this is an environmental blog, but I hope I will be forgiven. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be looking for other options. If you haven’t been living under a rock in the last months then no doubt you have heard of T. Boone Pickens. I like what Mr. Pickens has to say. Yes, there are some flaws with his plan but I think its def something that our government should look into. If you haven’t checked out his "plan" yet- please do so at http://www.pickensplan.com/theplan/