EarthAction

Pay-as-you-go Business Innovation Makes Renewable Energy Accessible

Written and Researched by EarthAction Intern Larry O'Connor

The Economist magazine recently published an article about a company that has developed an interesting way to profit from providing electricity to poor, sunny regions around the world. The company is based out of London and called Eight19, which refers how long it takes sunlight to reach the earth - 8 minutes and 19 seconds.

The Economist article focuses on Eight19’s “Pay as you go” solar program, where a family will be able to pay an upfront deposit of $10 US to purchase a solar cell and battery that have the ability to light two small rooms for 7 hours per day while charging one cell phone. The users then must purchase "scratch cards" using their cell phones to receive a reference number that will activate the devices. The "scratch cards" and reference numbers are sent via text message. Users can purchase any amount that they can pay for: a day, a week, or a month. These small purchases work toward paying off the cost of the device. After purchasing approximately eighty dollars’ worth of scratch cards, the customer will have paid off the entire cost of the battery and will have complete ownership of the unit.

Customers can then use their $80 US investment on a down payment to move up the "Indigo Energy Escalator" to obtain a larger solar battery unit, or they can just keep their solar unit and not spend any money on electricity. This energy escalator has four different levels, ranging from 3 to 80 watt capacity. The 80 watt solar cell generates light for a phone, four rooms, a radio, a TV, and a sewing machine.

 

This process was recently tested on a few hundred Kenyan families. Over the next two months Eight19 plans to release 4,000 solar kits in Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia. Many people in this region already have light and some electricity fueled by paraffin - a harmful waxy substance that comes from hydrocarbons used for lighting candles (pictured aboved). The most important aspect in this process is that these incremental payments are similar to what potential customers currently pay for paraffin to light lamps and the cost of charging a cell phone at a store.

Potential Implications of “Pay as you go solar”

Can Organic Farming Feed the World?

Written By: Yelena Kobaliya, EarthAction Intern

The question on many consumers' minds while staring at an array of beautiful produce trucked to their local grocer from Mexico, California, Chile and other far-away locales is, exactly how much better for me are the tomatoes labelled "organic" over "conventional"? Are the health benefits worth the steep price tag?

They may be, but a major study by the Rodale Institute in Kutztown, PA concluded that the main advantage of organic produce over conventional is not in organic food's health benefits for individual consumers. The 30-year study shows that there are major ecological benefits to organic agriculture which can impact more than the individual pushing the shopping cart.

It has often been argued that organic agriculture cannot provide enough for the world. Rodale Institute’s study contradicts this point of view. Comparisons of conventional and organic plots did not show any difference in total wheat, corn or soy production per acre. Moreover, during the drought years, organic plots provided 30% more harvest than conventional plots.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, Mark Smallwood, Rodale Institute’s executive director, stated: "If we're looking to feed the world for the next 50 years, conventional can do it. But if we're looking at feeding the world for the next 1500 years, we must switch over to organic."

The usage of petroleum-product contributes to the sustainability gap between conventional and organic agriculture. Even though both methods use diesel fuel for farm equipment, some 41% of conventional systems' petroleum consumption comes from using harmful, nitrogen-based fertilizers.

Sustainable soil health is another factor which differentiates the two systems. Conventional agriculture relies on crude-oil-dependent artificial fertilizers for the soil's macronutrient content. The use of such heavy-duty pesticides has been referred to as the pesticide treadmill, a dangerous cycle which, once begun, is difficult to come out of.  When dwindling oil supplies or rising fossil fuel prices begin to impact the availability and price of synthetic fertilizers, it will be the organic farms that will remain prosperous.

The summary of the Rodale Institute's findings are:

• Organic yields match or surpass conventional yields.

• Organic yields outperform conventional yields in years of drought.

• Organic farming systems build rather than deplete soil organic matter, making it a more sustainable system.

• Organic farming uses 45 percent less energy and is more efficient.

• Conventional agricultural systems produce 40 percent more greenhouse gases.

• Organic farming systems are more profitable than conventional farming systems.

Mark Smallwood shed light on the high cost of organic food explaining, "one of the reasons is that there aren't enough organic farms. It's because demand is higher than supply." To combat the discrepancy in supply and demand the Rodale Institute proposes several policy recommendations based on their study; to expand organic research funding, to ensure fair and appropriate risk management tools, to meet market demand, to create a robust organic transition assistance program, and to reward environmental benefits.

Eric Schlosser on the benefits of organic farming: http://aol.it/pc693W

Image source: Organic Farming Research Foundation

To learn more about the Rodale Institute, visit www.rodaleinstitute.org

Nuclear Weapon States to meet June 29-30. Time to end the threat from nuclear weapons!

The foreign ministers of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China (the P5 Permanent members of the UN Security Council) are scheduled to meet in Paris from 29 to 30 June 2011 to discuss nuclear security. Together they possess more than 20,000 nuclear weapons, capable of destroying all life on Earth many times over.
 
In May last year at a meeting of the States Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, they agreed that stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons to additional countries would be impossible if they continued to hold onto nuclear weapons themselves forever. They thus committed to a number of initial steps to reduce their nuclear stockpiles, lower the role of nuclear weapons in their security doctrines and to work with non-nuclear weapon States to build the framework for a nuclear-weapons-free world.
 
This will be their first meeting to start implementing these commitments. However, like smokers addicted to cigarettes, they will not give up their nuclear weapons easily. We must be assertive in helping them stick to their commitments.  
 
Join us in sending a loud and clear message to them—It’s time to stop threatening the world with these weapons of terror, and start negotiating a treaty to outlaw and eliminate all nuclear weapons globally.

---

Take Action

Send an email to the leaders of the P5 countries:

• President Barack Obama (United States)
• President Dmitry Medvedev (Russia)
• Prime Minister David Cameron (United Kingdom)
• President Nicolas Sarkozy (France)
• President Hu Jintao (China)

Join an action on Nuclear Abolition Day – June 25

---

Sample letter—Please change this letter a bit so that all the letters they receive don’t look exactly alike. Personal letters have more influence. Add why you think it is important to abolish nuclear weapons.
 

Dear President/Prime Minister,
 
I welcome the fact that for the first time ever the five Nuclear Weapons States parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are meeting at ministerial level to discuss nuclear disarmament - and in particular to fulfill the promise made at the 2010 NPT Review Conference “to achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.”
 
I encourage you to use this opportunity to commit to further reductions in numbers of nuclear weapons in your stockpiles, reinforce the practice and norm against any use of nuclear weapons, and announce a start to multilateral negotiations on a global treaty banning nuclear weapons worldwide under international verification and control.
 
The abolition of nuclear weapons will provide security for your nation and for all nations. It is a duty you owe to present generations, and to future generations. It is a step that will enhance peace, cooperation, stability and prosperity. I urge you to do everything in your power to take this fundamental step to protect our nations, our environment and our future.
 
Yours sincerely,
[Your first & last name, and at least your country]

---

For more information see:
Abolition 2000 Global Network for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons www.abolition2000.org
Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament www.pnnd.org
Nuclear Abolition Day www.nuclearabolition.org

 

The Dignity Movement: Ending Rankism

Check out this fascinating talk by Robert Fuller, former president of Oberlin College and author of Somebodies and Nobodies: Overcoming the Abuse of Rank, at this TEDx event in Berkeley California.

 

Here's the Dignity Movement's mission from their Facebook page:

We believe that rankism, the exploitation or humiliation of those with less power or lower status, is an indefensible affront to human dignity. Treating people with dignity, no matter where they fall on the corporate, social, familial, or political ladder, is the key to overcoming rankism in all its manifestations.

Find out more about the Dignity Movement at their Facebook page here.

We received this email in our inbox, and thought it would be a great opportunity to share:

UNU-ONY Internship Vacancy:

August 2011-January 2012

Deadline: Wednesday 15 June 2011
  Apply Now

Dear Colleague, 
 

The United Nations University Office at the United Nations in New York (UNU-ONY) is recruiting Junior Fellows for the August 2011-January 2012 session.

 

The title given to the Junior Fellows reflects a combination of academic excellence, professional aptitude and diligent work ethic exhibited by the members of the programme.

 

Requirements and guidelines for application are found below. More information can also be found on the UNU-ONY website.

 

Please circulate this announcement to your students, colleagues and friends who may be interested in participating in the programme or in disseminating this great opportunity to young professionals.

 

The deadline for receiving applications is Wednesday, 15 June 2011. Please do not hesitate to consult our website or contact us directly if you have any questions or comments.

With kind regards,

UNU-ONY Team

United Nations University Office at the UN, New York
2 UN Plaza, Room DC2-2060, New York, NY 10017
Tel.: 212-963-6387
Fax: 212-371-2144
Email: jpfony@unu.edu
Website: http://www.ony.unu.edu 

The deadline to apply is June 15. Find out more and apply online here.

   
   

The New York Times published an article on April 20th, 2008, uncovering the ways the Government has been spreading pro-war propaganda. The author of the  article, David Barstow, states, "Records and interviews show how the Bush administration has used its control over access and information in an effort to transform the analysts into a kind of media Trojan horse — an instrument intended to shape terrorism coverage from inside the major TV and radio networks." To learn more, read the rest of the New York Times article here.
    Fortunately, citizens who are unhappy with the Government about this issue
can do something about it. A national letter writing campaign has been launched by Free Press.
Take action by signing Free Press's  Letter  to Congress!

(Photo courtesy of the US Department of Defense, shared under a Creative Commons license)

Get ready for the Revolution! One thing is clear from being here at the Washington International Renewal Energy Conference (WIREC) - the Renewable Energy Revolution is on its way. Hermann Scheer, a German Member of Parliament—and the ‘father’ of the ‘Feed In’ legislation—told the several thousand participants from all over the world at the Ministerial Session of the Conference, “The main aim for us being here is to help each other to accelerate the shift to renewables.”

Speakers pointed out many of the things that need to change as part of this revolution, first among them: “Our way of thinking.” It is clear that a shift to renewables is already creating jobs, strengthening economies, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and increasing energy security. There were lots of stories and examples of how the revolution is beginning, and challenges for all of us to get on board.

Gotta go, today’s first session just started. I’ll post more later about the buzz of being on the edge of change.

Lois  Barber

(Lois asked me to post this, as she was on her way to a session. -Ananda)

Greetings from Washington DC!

Yesterday I spent the entire day at the “FIT for the Future” strategy workshop. It was absolutely fascinating, crammed with information and fascinating speakers. Co-hosted by the World Future Council, Heinrich Boll Foundation, and the Worldwatch Institute, the event brought in speakers from France, Germany, and Spain to speak about the Feed-In Tariff programs in their countries, as well as U.S. legislators working towards FIT laws, and organizations in favor of the policy. It was fascinating to be sitting in a room full of so many highly intelligent people who were eager to discuss the possibilities and issues surrounding bringing FIT legislation to the U.S.

Tellingly, Oliver Schafer, from the European Renewable Energy Council, ended the third panel by noting that many Europeans think that U.S. energy policy centers around the question, “How did our oil get under their sand?” However, this conference has opened his eyes – let’s ensure that this workshop results in meaningful action!

I will not go into detail about the substance of the workshop, as we will hopefully have more detailed blog posts in the near future, but for now I thought I’d give some highlights.

Chris Flavin, from the Worldwatch Institute, opened the day challenging us to think up a new name for FIT, something that does not have a negative subcontext. Some of the ideas brought up throughout the day were “energy freedom act,” “fair and efficient rates,” “standard offer program,” and “microgeneration.” What do you think?

One issue brought up was, “How do we, from a political standpoint, convince Americans to vote to increase their electricity bills?” Of course, there were the normal replies about emphasizing the environmental and karmic gains, and emphasizing how any type of energy or change in energy source policy will probably add to the bill, but I found the answer given by Hugo Lucas Porta, who works for the IDEA in Spain, to be the most creative. He said that in Spain they intend to give incentives for citizens to reduce their electricity use so that their electricity bill will go down, and thus, even with the FIT in place, their bill will probably still be even lower than before. Pairing these two policies makes quite a difference.

I don’t want this blog post to drag on, so I will just end with a most compelling idea from Paul Gipe’s speech: With FIT laws, we move from being a nation of consumers to being a nation of producers.

(I took the photo of the Washington Monument- I’ve been indulging in a bit of sightseeing, as this is my first time ever in DC!)

Rhode Island is the first state on the East Coast to introduce a Feed-In Tariff renewable energy bill, which is an exciting step forward in EarthAction's FIT campaign. According to Wind-Works.org's Paul Gipe, "The tiny state's move could have a big impact on other states on America's eastern seaboard." To learn more, and view the text of the entire bill, please visit this link.

Photo of the Clingstone house, a historic home which has been renovated to include a wind turbine and solar arrays, is courtesy of Flickr user G.E. Long, shared under a Creative Commons license.

Minnesota is the third state in the Midwest (after Michigan and Illinois) to introduce Feed-In legislation! Interestingly, "unlike other states considering feed-in tariffs, Minnesota's proposed law limits feed-in tariffs to "community-based" projects connected at distribution voltages. Nevertheless, the definition of what constitutes a community-based project is broad and can include projects with outside ownership up to 49% of the equity." To learn more about the specifics of the bill, please click on this link.

This photo of Minnesotan windmills is courtesy of Flickr user Payton Chung, and shared under a Creative Commons license.

Call for Junior Fellows - United Nations University

We received this email in our inbox, and thought it would be a great opportunity to share:

UNU-ONY Internship Vacancy:

August 2011-January 2012

Deadline: Wednesday 15 June 2011
  Apply Now

Dear Colleague, 
 

The United Nations University Office at the United Nations in New York (UNU-ONY) is recruiting Junior Fellows for the August 2011-January 2012 session.

 

The title given to the Junior Fellows reflects a combination of academic excellence, professional aptitude and diligent work ethic exhibited by the members of the programme.

 

Requirements and guidelines for application are found below. More information can also be found on the UNU-ONY website.

 

Please circulate this announcement to your students, colleagues and friends who may be interested in participating in the programme or in disseminating this great opportunity to young professionals.

 

The deadline for receiving applications is Wednesday, 15 June 2011. Please do not hesitate to consult our website or contact us directly if you have any questions or comments.

With kind regards,

UNU-ONY Team

United Nations University Office at the UN, New York
2 UN Plaza, Room DC2-2060, New York, NY 10017
Tel.: 212-963-6387
Fax: 212-371-2144
Email: jpfony@unu.edu
Website: http://www.ony.unu.edu 

The deadline to apply is June 15. Find out more and apply online here.

Pentagon's Propaganda Pro-War Incentives Uncovered

   
   

The New York Times published an article on April 20th, 2008, uncovering the ways the Government has been spreading pro-war propaganda. The author of the  article, David Barstow, states, "Records and interviews show how the Bush administration has used its control over access and information in an effort to transform the analysts into a kind of media Trojan horse — an instrument intended to shape terrorism coverage from inside the major TV and radio networks." To learn more, read the rest of the New York Times article here.
    Fortunately, citizens who are unhappy with the Government about this issue
can do something about it. A national letter writing campaign has been launched by Free Press.
Take action by signing Free Press's  Letter  to Congress!

(Photo courtesy of the US Department of Defense, shared under a Creative Commons license)

A Taste of the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference

Get ready for the Revolution! One thing is clear from being here at the Washington International Renewal Energy Conference (WIREC) - the Renewable Energy Revolution is on its way. Hermann Scheer, a German Member of Parliament—and the ‘father’ of the ‘Feed In’ legislation—told the several thousand participants from all over the world at the Ministerial Session of the Conference, “The main aim for us being here is to help each other to accelerate the shift to renewables.”

Speakers pointed out many of the things that need to change as part of this revolution, first among them: “Our way of thinking.” It is clear that a shift to renewables is already creating jobs, strengthening economies, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and increasing energy security. There were lots of stories and examples of how the revolution is beginning, and challenges for all of us to get on board.

Gotta go, today’s first session just started. I’ll post more later about the buzz of being on the edge of change.

Lois  Barber

(Lois asked me to post this, as she was on her way to a session. -Ananda)

Exciting Notes from Washington DC Feed-In Tariff Workshop

Greetings from Washington DC!

Yesterday I spent the entire day at the “FIT for the Future” strategy workshop. It was absolutely fascinating, crammed with information and fascinating speakers. Co-hosted by the World Future Council, Heinrich Boll Foundation, and the Worldwatch Institute, the event brought in speakers from France, Germany, and Spain to speak about the Feed-In Tariff programs in their countries, as well as U.S. legislators working towards FIT laws, and organizations in favor of the policy. It was fascinating to be sitting in a room full of so many highly intelligent people who were eager to discuss the possibilities and issues surrounding bringing FIT legislation to the U.S.

Tellingly, Oliver Schafer, from the European Renewable Energy Council, ended the third panel by noting that many Europeans think that U.S. energy policy centers around the question, “How did our oil get under their sand?” However, this conference has opened his eyes – let’s ensure that this workshop results in meaningful action!

I will not go into detail about the substance of the workshop, as we will hopefully have more detailed blog posts in the near future, but for now I thought I’d give some highlights.

Chris Flavin, from the Worldwatch Institute, opened the day challenging us to think up a new name for FIT, something that does not have a negative subcontext. Some of the ideas brought up throughout the day were “energy freedom act,” “fair and efficient rates,” “standard offer program,” and “microgeneration.” What do you think?

One issue brought up was, “How do we, from a political standpoint, convince Americans to vote to increase their electricity bills?” Of course, there were the normal replies about emphasizing the environmental and karmic gains, and emphasizing how any type of energy or change in energy source policy will probably add to the bill, but I found the answer given by Hugo Lucas Porta, who works for the IDEA in Spain, to be the most creative. He said that in Spain they intend to give incentives for citizens to reduce their electricity use so that their electricity bill will go down, and thus, even with the FIT in place, their bill will probably still be even lower than before. Pairing these two policies makes quite a difference.

I don’t want this blog post to drag on, so I will just end with a most compelling idea from Paul Gipe’s speech: With FIT laws, we move from being a nation of consumers to being a nation of producers.

(I took the photo of the Washington Monument- I’ve been indulging in a bit of sightseeing, as this is my first time ever in DC!)

Rhode Island Introduces Renewable Energy Sources Bill

Rhode Island is the first state on the East Coast to introduce a Feed-In Tariff renewable energy bill, which is an exciting step forward in EarthAction's FIT campaign. According to Wind-Works.org's Paul Gipe, "The tiny state's move could have a big impact on other states on America's eastern seaboard." To learn more, and view the text of the entire bill, please visit this link.

Photo of the Clingstone house, a historic home which has been renovated to include a wind turbine and solar arrays, is courtesy of Flickr user G.E. Long, shared under a Creative Commons license.

Minnesota Feed-In Tariff Bill Introduced

Minnesota is the third state in the Midwest (after Michigan and Illinois) to introduce Feed-In legislation! Interestingly, "unlike other states considering feed-in tariffs, Minnesota's proposed law limits feed-in tariffs to "community-based" projects connected at distribution voltages. Nevertheless, the definition of what constitutes a community-based project is broad and can include projects with outside ownership up to 49% of the equity." To learn more about the specifics of the bill, please click on this link.

This photo of Minnesotan windmills is courtesy of Flickr user Payton Chung, and shared under a Creative Commons license.