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Church: solar panels spiritually inspired

February 22nd, 2010, 10:41 am by

Photo of solar panels atop Unitarian Universalist Church in Anaheim by Gary Sjogren.

Solar panels might be an increasingly familiar symbol of the 21st century, but at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Anaheim the inspiration to install them dates back to the 19th century.

“Our connection to, and our appreciation for our environment goes way back,” said minister Lee Marie Sanchez. “Henry David Thoreau was a Unitarian. Darwin was a Unitarian. Emerson was a Unitarian. Environmental issues have been long and deep in our spiritual movement.”

So Sanchez and her flock pooled their money to install a 5.6 kilowatt solar array — the first church in Anaheim, they say, to make the leap to solar power.

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In Dana Point, zero tolerance for trash

February 5th, 2010, 8:30 am by

When “Zero Trash” kicks off in Dana Point on Saturday, the goal will be simple: sweep the streets of all trash, or at least as much as volunteers can pick up in two hours. zerotrashnb

The event, organizers say, is part of a growing “Zero Trash” movement spawned in Laguna Beach in 2006. Volunteers began gathering once a month to clear trash from the streets of Laguna. “Zero Trash Newport” began in October, and cleanups will be held in both cities Saturday as well. It will be Dana Point’s first.

“Right now it’s slowly expanding,” said spokeswoman Melody Hsu. “We’re looking for storefront supporters in the cities. I think the goal is for each person in the community to take responsibility — to take the community into their own hands.”

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New Fullerton homes: affordable and “green”

February 3rd, 2010, 7:20 am by

Fullerton’s latest housing tract holds out promise to moderate-income buyers: the homes will be affordable and “green.” heritagewalkgoc

The city and The Olson Company broke ground Tuesday on the 2 1/2-acre site of the development, called Heritage Walk. Some of the planned 34 homes should be completed and sold within the year.

“It’s becoming important for everyone to focus on the environment,” said Kimberly Prijatel, vice president of development at the Seal Beach-based Olson Company. “So we’ve just started incorporating that into the plans for our designs.”

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Posted in: Green at home • green building • Green business • Green events • green technology • • • | 11 Comments »

Grass on the roof — at Camp Pendleton?

February 1st, 2010, 4:41 pm by

The military is going green, and two Irvine companies say they’re ready to help — by filling contracts worth tens of millions of dollars. greenroofirvine

The initiative could one day result in stylishly “green” military barracks, warehouses, chapels, hangars and other structures at the Camp Pendleton Marine base, some with turf grass on the roof, others with solar panels or windows that flood the interior with natural northern light to cut down on energy bills.

The new partnership between an Alaska native corporation called Ahtna Engineering Services LLC and an architectural firm, LPA Inc., will help Ahtna fulfill a series of $30 million contracts with the Department of Defense to construct environmentally sensitive buildings with low energy use and plenty of recycled building materials.

Much of the work is expected to center on Camp Pendleton.

“Our charter is to provide sustainable, elegant design and build services to the Department of Defense and federal clients,” said Gregory Grabowski, engineering director at Ahtna. “We’re going after what we consider to be a moral imperative: providing aesthetically pleasing, sustainable, and protective facilities for any of our men and women in uniform.”

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Coffee franchise founder to speak at green conference

January 26th, 2010, 10:36 am by

The founder of Kean Coffee and Diedrich Coffee will give a talk on how to make small businesses “green” at Vanguard University’s Environmental Sustainability Conference in Costa Mesa Jan. 29.

Hosted by a campus group, Students in Free Enterprise, it’s meant to highlight practical ways for businesses to increase  environmentally sustainable practices. The Register’s “On Small Business” blogger, Jan Norman, has the story.

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O.C. companies hit L.A. green expo

January 20th, 2010, 12:40 pm by

The “Go Green Expo” returns to Los Angeles this weekend, and Orange County companies — with some unusual offerings — will be among some 300 exhibitors. ampedbikes

The Expo, billed as “the nation’s premier green business and sustainable lifestyle show,” runs Jan. 22-24 at the Los Angeles Convention Center; last year’s drew about 10,000 people.

While Friday is reserved for business-to-business exhibition, Saturday and Sunday are open to the public. The price: $10 for adults, kids under 12 free.

The exhibitors include Amped Bikes from Santa Ana, which sells kits to convert any bicycle into an electric, motorized version.

The company acknowledges that non-motorized bikes might be considered greener than anything with a motor on it.

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Posted in: Green at home • Green business • Green events • Green products and services • pollution • | 1 Comment »

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