20 Jun Fave posts from the week, #2

from my news-feed-experiment:

1. “America’s most fuel efficient man”
http://www.green4th.com/2009/06/americas-most-fuel-efficient-man.html
Professor Andy Frank (UC Davis) been retrofitting cars, trucks & SUVs since the mid-90s, with plug-in hybrid technology. His vehicles routinely get over 100 MPG. About 2 years ago the City of Austin began a campaign to promote plug-EVs for municipal use… Thanks Andy!

2. “America’s hippest farmers”
http://www.green4th.com/2009/06/greenhorns.html
Greenhorns are the folks powering our country’s newest movement towards sustainable farming. Most of these folks have left the city to return to the land, are raising young families, and are under the age of 35. See a trailer for their new film (http://www.thegreenhorns.net/trailer). Learn about Austin’s own Greenhorns and local farmers via this Chronicle article, May 09 (http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/column?oid=oid%3A83348).

3. “A push to tear down dams”
http://www.green4th.com/2009/06/push-to-tear-down-dams.html
Most people don’t know, hydropower (like Mansfield Dam), is incredibly destructive to the natural order of local ecosystems. I was glad to see this article, another reason for supporting Wind & Solar!

4. “Texas Impact calls for Action”
http://www.green4th.com/2009/06/texas-impact-calls-for-action.html
You may know Austin’s Bee Morehead, fearless leader and uniter behind Texas Impact — a statewide interfaith network of people working for justice. Bee & TXImpact issued a call this week for national action on “The American Clean Energy & Security Act.”

5. “4 Sides of Residential Green Building”
http://www.green4th.com/2009/06/3-sides-of-residential-green-building.html
Without a doubt, our fair city — and Austin Energy, are some of the world’s best proponents of green building. This article features links to some interesting things going on in Arkansas, Chicago, New Orleans, & Florida…

6. America’s 1st Eco Novel
http://www.green4th.com/2009/06/americas-first-eco-novel.html
Millions of people think of Austin as a leading green city… but, Ecotopia? Not yet. This interview checks in with the author of the world’s first book about such a concept. The year is 1999…

7. Take the Green4th Poll
http://www.green4th.com/
I would be honored if you took a moment to click over to this little site of mine and add your voice to a couple of simple survey questions (upper right corner of page).

Thanks & see you next week! Chris