Well, I have been waiting a long time to write that headline. It isn't flashy, but it is clear. I have been working toward this goal for close to 2 years now, about 20 months. The stars have begun to align and we are asking qualified vendors to make proposals.

The proposal information can be found on the MDUSD Planroom website:
http://169.199.90.240/rfp.html


This system will save the MDUSD hundreds of millions of dollars over 40 years. We will only install panels with a proved track record and only in self standing structures to protect them from things like roof maintenance or easy access for vandalism or theft. This is a long term benefit to the district and the environment. I feel proud to have maintained the districts focus on this unprecedented project.

I just read yet another article confirming that climate change is real and that the last decade has been the warmest on record. Something new I picked out of the article was a dashboard with easy to read graphical representations of the climate.

Right now it is still a Beta (test) version. Since I don't have millions of readers, I figure it is safe to post here.

Climate_Dashboard

Lets start by covering what a cool roof is. Simply, a light or white colored surface on the roof. The reflective properties bounce heat back toward the sun reducing the need for cooling below. Less cooling demand reduces energy use and related pollution. Another factor is the warming effect on climate which is also reduced.

When the suns rays heat an object, there is a transition from the full spectrum light to infrared. The infrared, we typically refer to as radiant heat in laymans terms, is easily trapped by carbon dioxide. By reflecting more of the light before it heats up the roof, there is less radiant trapable heat. This means cool roofs help cut the warming effect too.

The US Department of Energy is already moving to put cool roofs on all of their buildings. This is a low cost and effective way to have an impact. To read more about the DOE plans, click_here.

Another source of information on this topic can be found by following the related link below.

Activities like hiking and biking are healthy and don't produce a lot of excess CO2. Doing these things locally is even better. So here are some websites to help you find great places to be outside.

Nature_Find
This is the National Wildlife Federation's map-based tool.

Local_Hikes
Solid information about specific trails so you can plan for a day outdoors.

Trails.com
A tool that allows you to browse and sort a good number of hiking, biking, and kayaking trails. Unfortunately, you have to pay for the slick presentation and database of hikes.

The_Nature_Conservancy
Lists hundreds of preserves in the U.S. and around the world.

The_Sierra_Club
A user-generated database of hikes and outdoor experiences.

Land_Trust_Alliance
A database of local land trusts, not established parks or trails. However, these spaces may be available for your exploration. You will have to check with informational links before proceeding to visit these spaces, there may be rules or the trust may be private.

Rather than paraphrase an entire article, this is the first segment:

As the U.S. energy industry inches away from reliance on fossil fuels, experts have heralded various greener technologies, such as ethanol, solar and geothermal power, as choice alternatives. And while each of those alternatives holds marked environmental advantages over dirty oil and coal, none match wind power's squeaky clean performance.

"Based on the review looking at the major energy technologies and environmental impact, wind came out on top," said Mark Z. Jacobson, an engineer at Stanford University.

To read the whole article, please follow the related link below.