In California, we are used to being trendsetters with energy. However, it isn't often that a community or small scale energy project gets a national spotlight, even for a moment. Right now, the Richmond Plunge is having it's moment. After a 10 year renovation, adding Solar Electric, Solar Thermal and a chlorine free water processing system, the pool is beautiful and sets a new standard for a community.

The solar panels for electricity are expected to produce 30 kilowatts while the solar thermal should maintain a comfortable water temperature.

The water is kept clean and safe with a saline process that also incorporates ultraviolet light to kill bacteria. No chlorine means no harsh chemicals on the skin or in swimmers eyes. The lack of chlorine should also help guest breath a bit easier when they are out of the water.

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The United States used significantly less coal and petroleum in 2009 than in 2008, and significantly more wind power. There also was a decline in natural gas use and increases in solar, hydro and geothermal power according to the most recent energy flow charts released by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

A lot of the transition is attributed to the economy and higher efficiency devices and machines. We have also installed more renewable energy sources, in particular wind power during 2009. Many incentive programs for renewable energies kicked in during 2009.

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Scientists at the Norwegian Academy of Science have designed a new type of hydrogen fuel cell that is inspired by human lungs. The new design can reduce the amount of expensive platinum catalyst, while increasing the efficiency of the cell.

The new approach spreads gases more uniformly across the catalyst than current designs providing a greater surface area and higher efficiency.

Expiration dates on food products can protect our health, but those dates are really more about quality than safety, and if not properly understood, they can also encourage consumers to discard food that is perfectly safe. Keep in mind, the company producing the food item is happy to sell you a replacement.

Which five foods are most often feared as being unsafe after the printed date? According to ShelfLifeAdvice.com, we are most wary of milk, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, yogurt, and eggs, and the site offers these helpful explanations:

- Milk: If properly refrigerated, milk will remain safe, nutritious, and tasty for about a week after the sell-by date and will probably be safe to drink longer than that, though there’s a decline in nutritional value and taste.

- Cottage cheese: Pasteurized cottage cheese lasts for 10-14 days after the date on the carton.

- Mayonnaise: Unopened, refrigerated Kraft mayonnaise can be kept for 30 days after its expiration date or 3-4 months after opening, the company told ShelfLifeAdvice.

- Yogurt: Yogurt will remain good 7-10 days after its sell-by date.

- Eggs: Properly refrigerated eggs should last at least 3-5 weeks after the sell-by date, according to Professor Joe Regenstein, a food scientist at Cornell University. Note: Use of either a sell-by or expiration (EXP) date is not federally required, but may be state required, as defined by the egg laws in the state where the eggs are marketed.

So take this knowledge and save a few dollars as well as reducing your demand on the environment just a bit.

SUGAR Volt concept decreases aircraft fuel burn by more than 70 percent and total energy use by 55 percent.

As this is really just a concept vehicle at this time, I will direct you to the original article for more information. You can follow the related link below.