Quagga mussels attach themselves to a number of surfaces including boat hulls, engine intakes, livewells, bilges, anchor lines, water intake valves, canals, pipes, aqueducts and dams. This causes increased maintenance costs. In the United States, Congressional researchers estimated that invasive mussels alone cost the power industry $3.1 billion from 1993-1999, while their impact on industries, businesses and communities totals more than 5 billion.

So how can us boaters help? Easy. Inspect and clean you water vessel (powerboat, sailboat, bassboat, jetski, zodiac, yes, all of ‘em) after removing it from every waterway. It is really very easy and takes little time and we’ve also recently discovered that some of our favorite boat cleaning products make this job even easier.

We were told recently the bio-kleen boat and trailer passed the mussel inspection at Lake Powell in Utah with flying colors. Not a single quagga mussel was found in spite of the fact that the boat originates from Michigan, a state that has a high population of the mussel in the waterways. Bio-Kleen credits the easy inspection to cleaning the bilge with the bilge cleaner after boating in every waterway. A quaternary sanitizer included in the product keeps the bilge and livewells free of invasive species eggs. Also cleaning the hull, props, exhaust pipes, trailers, anchor and dock lines with hull cleaner will kill the mussels and eggs due to the phosphoric blend in the cleaner. Not to mention it dissolves unsightly calcification and scum lines at the same time. Dual action – that’s what I’m talking about… Be sure to take a few minutes after pulling you boat from each waterway to protect your boat and the environment from these nasty invaders. Think of the alternative – mussel infestations will close your local waterway. Yeah, that’s what we thought.

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The report gives a lot of attention to a 58-year-old oil pipeline that travels under the Au Sable and two of its tributaries. The pipe is owned by Enbridge Energy, which also owns the pipeline that ruptured in July 2010 and spilled 800,000 gallons of oil into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River.

The report also covered the concern over a potential boom in northern Michigan of a controversial method of natural gas extraction called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking; a process that uses toxic materials and requires an immense amount of water

Read the entire article via Great Lakes Echo

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LANSING, MI—A lawsuit filed this week challenging the state’s denial of a Clean Air Act permit for a proposed costly and unneeded coal-fired power plant for Rogers City seeks to revisit a decision that ended the threat of a nearly 60-percent electric rate hike for Michigan consumers.

Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative on Wednesday appealed the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment’s (“MDNRE”) rejection of the company’s application for an air permit for its proposed coal-fired power plant in Rogers City. The appeal was filed in the 28th Circuit Court of Missaukee County.

“Wolverine’s stubborn quest for an unnecessary coal plant in Rogers City is an outrage,” said Jean Veselenak, a Rogers City resident. “We need clean energy jobs and the opportunity to transition to better ways to produce energy, not more rate hikes to support dirty coal. Experts and regulators evaluated this proposed plant and said it was too costly and we don’t need it. Rogers City residents agree. Instead of now pursuing a better strategy for consumers, Wolverine officials want to spend their members’ money on a lawsuit to convince a judge that they are right and everyone else is wrong.”

In evaluating the Wolverine project, the Michigan Public Service Commission found that the proposed coal plant would increase electricity rates for consumers by 59.2% to 20.7 cents per kilowatt-hour, and would cost the average residential customer $76.95 more every month. Environmental, consumer and energy groups had all opposed the proposed plant.

MDNRE denied the permit in May, stating that there is no need for the proposed power plant and that alternative methods are available that would supply the customers of the four electric cooperatives that make up Wolverine with electricity at a much cheaper rate than the cost of building a new coal plant.

“Despite road bocks and warning signals by major credit ratings agencies across the nation that new coal plants are expensive and likely to be plagued by long-term regulatory and financial problems, Wolverine has continued to support the project,” said Anne Woiwode, State Director of Sierra Club of Michigan. “In the face of all these risks, it is unwise to spend Coop member money on developing a risky, expensive and unnecessary coal plant.”

Since 2001, 132 proposed coal plants around the country have been cancelled due to rising costs, financial riskiness and the existence of better alternatives. The few new coal plant projects that are moving forward are incurring huge cost overruns. The Peabody Energy Prairie State Plant in Illinois under construction now has doubled in cost, leaving ratepayers on the hook to pay for $2 billion in cost overruns so far, and similar cost escalations have been experienced in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and other states throughout the country.

“It is common sense that before authorizing a nearly $2 billion coal plant, MDNRE would evaluate whether there was a need for or better alternatives to that plant,” said Shannon Fisk, Senior Attorney for the Midwest Office of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Wolverine’s continued pursuit of an unnecessary, costly and dirty coal plant is not good for ratepayers or Michigan’s economy.”

In June, Traverse City area ratepayers raised concerns and questions about the cost of the plant during the Cherryland Electric Cooperative’s annual meeting. The ratepayers asked the board to fully disclose the estimated costs for participation in the Wolverine coal plant proposal before final decisions were made to appeal the permit decision, but that request was not granted. Ratepayers ran a series of TV and radio ads encouraging Coop members to vote for candidates who oppose the coal plant and support clean energy options as better, more responsible business.

“We don’t need to waste millions on dirty, unnecessary coal plants,” said Faith Bugel, Senior Attorney for the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “The DNRE made the right decision for Michigan’s ratepayers, for Michigan’s workers and for Michigan’s environment.”

Others who challenged the proposed Rogers City coal plant also reacted strongly to news of Wolverine’s lawsuit.

“Wolverine Coops were told that there was no need to spend billions of dollars to build this plant,” said Tom Karas of Michigan Energy Alternatives Project, “but management of these utilities won’t pull the plug on the Rogers City coal plant. They want to gamble with their members’ money. Appealing the state’s decision would only make a bad economic story worse for coop members”

“Wolverine should invest in energy efficiency and energy sources that will serve their member cooperatives better by developing cleaner electricity generation and keeping costs lower,” said Susan Harley, Policy Director for Clean Water Action.

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View the June 2010 Monthly Bulletin of Lake Levels for the Great Lakes

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The network was formed after an analysis uncovered 800 West Michigan companies that had potential to manufacture wind energy components. The WMWMN will no doubt aim to network companies working the wind energy sector who might not otherwise know each other existed.

Because of the regions expansive manufacturing expertise and the thousands of parts in just one wind turbine, West Michigan can enter the market quickly; building off existing capabilities. The region also has another advantage, experience with integrated systems.  This gives the turbine OEMs the opportunity to consolidate their supply chain by purchasing from as few vendors as possible; a process the manufacturers are accustomed to from the automotive and office furniture industries.

Though the wind energy industry shows great promise, the current demand may not be as impressive as one may think. Policies, government actions and incentives have given the industry some wind behind its sail; but the potential for the industry is considerably lower then estimates so far. As demand in America increases it only makes sense that the components, with their shear size and shipping cost, come from local facilities.

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Last year a wonderful thing happened in our community,  a local waste management (garbage) company added a flexible plastic recycling bin to one of their recycling stations (a service our local curbside recycling does not support). A station which already contained the typical recycling bins: mixed paper and cardboard, metal and plastic containers (all services, thankfully, our local curbside recycling program does support).

With the addition of the flexible plastic recycling, which included any flexible plastic like: plastic grocery bags, produce bags, bread bags, zip-lock type bags, shrink-wrap, candy wrappers, cerebral bags… anything that is plastic and flexible, garbage waste at home and at work was significantly cut back. I noticed a tremendous change in the amount of garbage waste. Unfortunately, they cancelled the program and I were left puzzled.

A possible solution? Grocery bag recycling at local supermarkets, such as Meijer (my choice) and Walmart. However, that leaves a lot of flexible plastic out of recycling. I’ve contacted both stores in an attempt to gain a clearer definition to the plastics accepted at their facilities because the last thing I’d like to see happen is recycling go to waste or create an issue by including un-recyclable plastics (for this particular application).

Not to my surprise, the local managers didn’t really know. One location told me they except plastic grocery bags only. The next location said the same, until I start probing, then they fumbled into admitting they really weren’t sure. I was then directed, by one store, to a “consumer affairs” number, which turns out to be just a general customer service line. Fair Enough. The customer service was very kind and helpful, though she had even less a clue regarding their recycling program than the local manager. I was then directed to corporate. After filtering through a long list of corporate departments, I found myself back on the phone with the same customer service representative. Uuuurrrrggghhhhh.

After being washed and wrung out of the corporate ringer, and with a little research and intuition, I believe I have it narrowed down; these facilities accept plastic grocery bags and produce bags (or any High Density Polyethylene, or HDPE, flexible plastic bags with the number 2 recycling symbol on them). No zip locks, no cereal bags, no shrink wrap, no bread bags, etc. (most of which are Low Density Polyethylene, or LDPE, plastic with the number 4 recycling symbol). Which, as previously stated, leaves lots of plastic to be thrown unwillingly in the trash.

Why is flexible plastic recycling seemingly such a hassle in my community? Is it really too big a job for facilities to handle? Do other communities have this service available? I know that compared to other states, and even other communities within our state, we have a pretty good recycling program that I have been proud to support and actively participate in. But after noticing how much more can be recycled with all flexible plastic being recycled, it’s a program I think no community should be without. I also have a fellow avid recycler from our local chamber of commerce looking into the issue further.

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Nine Banded Armadillo

Texas is a land of cattle, horses and armadillos. The armadillo is a fascinating creature to visitors from the north. They first foraged into Texas across the Rio Grande from Mexico in the 1800’s. Armadillo is Spanish for “Little Armored One”. There are 20 species of armadillos which are distinguished by the number of bands on their armor. They range from the 5 foot Giant Armadillo to the Pink Fairy Armadillo of 5 inches. All species are native to the Americas. In the U.S. the sole resident is the Nine-banded Armadillo.

Armadillos are prolific diggers and build burrows near creeks and streams feeding on ants and grubs. The Nine-banded Armadillo tends to jump straight up in the air when frightened and consequently collides with the undercarriage or fenders of passing cars, unfortunately the reason you see so many fur-belly side up beside the road.

Southwestern Decor

They first came into Texas crossing the Rio Grande River from Mexico in the 1800’s. Interestingly enough they have the ability to remain underwater up to 6 minutes and inflate their stomach with air to float and swim. The Nine-banded Armadillo also serves science through its unusual mammal reproductive system in which genetically identical quadruplets are born in every liter. During the great depression the species was actually hunted for it’s meat in East Texas where it was known as “Hoovers Hog’.

Cowboy's Limo

There are interesting energy solutions across Texas including everything from old windmills pumping water to livestock in vast desolate acreages, to big oil wells drilling the liquid gold, to wind turbines converting the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy which is then converted to electricity.

Turbines used in wind farms are usually a three bladed tapered airfoil shape and pointed into the wind by computer controlled motors. The blades rotate 10-22 rpms and range in length from 65-130 feet and the steel towers range from 200-300 feet tall – making for an awesome sight across the landscape. All turbines are equipped with shut down features to avoid damage at high wind speeds.

Wind Turbine Power in Texas

Saturday May 9th the Windpower 2009 conference was held at McCormick Place, Chicago. It was reported that the 2008 wind energy production was at 25,170MW installed, putting the U.S. as #1 in the world ahead of Germany. Texas with 7116MW accounts for ¼ of that and Iowa second with 2790MW. The wind industry employs 85,000 people in the U.S. The Obama administration wants the U.S. to be producing 20% of it’s electricity from wind by 2030. Amazingly we are on track to do it.

Closer to home, Mas Tech, a small factory in Manistee, is churning out wind turbines helping usher in a new greener era for Michigan manufacturing. According to Next Energy, a renewable energy group in Detroit, “Some 400 other Michigan manufacturers have the capabilities to craft gear boxes, brakes, generators and other parts for utility size wind turbines with the structures selling for two million dollars a piece.” One federal report identifies Michigan as one of the four states that could create up to 30,000 new jobs from wind energy.

Home of the 72oz

Back in Texas, the state is also known for its great steak houses. A popular spot on the trail is the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo. Their claim to fame is the Free 72 oz. steak dinner… if you can eat it all in 1 hour. They say many have tried and many have failed, but reports over 8,000 hearty diners have done it including a 68 year old woman. I think we’ll have to pass, but you never know… maybe next year.

View all Bio-Kleen’s Photos from Albuquerque to Dallas

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Randy East has already built his retirement home with all the green planning ahead of time. The 240-square-foot home is currently setting behind his 1,600-square-foot home in the backyard, patiently awaiting it’s turn. He plans on selling his current home and moving the retirement home when the time comes.

East spent only about $8,000 building the energy efficient home. It uses a wood stove for heat, estimated to heat the home for a year with only one cord of wood, and is solar powered. He has had to make some compromises to run on such a budget. He installed a 10″ LCD TV that draws only 1 amp and fitted the home with LED light bulbs; allowing him to wire the structure for 12 volts. The home’s facilities may be a little different then the norm as well. East installed a composting toilet, rated for 2-3 users, which only requires to be emptied three times a year.

We think Randy is ahead of his time and can see more retirees shifting towards a completely sustainable lifestyle. Not only can you feel good about living a green lifestyle, but you can feel good about spending more time, and more green, on the things that really matter in the golden years.

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