Kelley Stoltz and I sat down with Meet the Planet and discussed the greening of his record, Below the Branches and his plans to green his next record--due out on Sub Pop Records in a couple months.
Listen here

Labels: interview, Kelley Stoltz, renewables, sarah

While you're soaking up the tunes at Wakarusa, spend some time at this year's Sustainability Symposium, too. Wakarusa has teamed up with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation or BEF (the folks that helped Sub Pop and Kelley Stoltz green up) and New Belgium Brewery to educate concert-goers about sustainability.

From the Bonneville Environmental Foundation: The key theme of this year’s symposium is the conservation and production of energy. Friday evening, June 8th, Jeff Goodell, author of Big Coal, will take center stage to address coal-fired energy. Saturday morning will feature additional speakers including Wes Jackson of The Land Institute, followed by a panel discussion addressing the issues of energy and related environmental impacts including climate change. Additional speakers include Nic Thiesen of the New Belgium Brewing Company, and Pete Ferrell, a fourth generation Kansas rancher whose land hosts wind turbines.

Along with using biodiesel-powered generators to power the sound stages, Wakarusa offset the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the festival with BEF Zephyr Energy Green Tags. This measure furthers the green initiatives Wakarusa has had in place in the past. Strong recycling programs and waste reduction methods like providing incentives for concert-goers to reuse cups have been in place for some time.

The Sustainability Symposium will take place Friday night and Saturday during the day. Check it out! More information is here.

Labels: Bonneville Environmental Foundation, fan resources, festival, renewables, sarah, Wakarusa

One of my friends once lamented about a time he toured and kept holding his laptop up in the tour van to get a wireless signal while driving through Utah. When he finally got a signal, his battery died. Enter:

Labels: gadget, musician resources, renewables, solar, tour resources, treehugger

OK. You get it. There is a growing relationship between music and the environment. While it's often reported as a new environmental movement within a industry, actually, it has been a relationship that has been going on for some time. For example, this year marks the ninth year that the Taos Solar Music Festival will take place. Since its inception, the festival has worked to build awareness for solar power as a viable form of energy generation and bring together a community of music fans who embrace environmental ideals and like to have a good time.

True to form, the festival main stage is powered by photovoltaic cells. Adjacent to the stage is the Solar Village, an area where festival goers can get information about solar power and other important sustainable energy solutions. Festival producer Dawn Richardson explains, “We are really proud of the Solar Village – and hope that it helps to inspire and nurture sustainable communities in the region and throughout the nation. We think the Solar Village is what makes this festival stand out from so many others around the country.”

Sounds good to me. In my experience, the things I learned while having fun always stick in my memory the best. Here's a great opportunity to test that theory out:
9^th Annual Taos Solar Music Festival

June 29, 30 and July 1

Kit Carson Park in Downtown Taos

Tickets are on sale now. For information visit www.solarmusicfest.com

Kids 10 and under free

Visit www.solarfestmusic.com for tickets, lodging recommendations, and more.

Confirmed line-up includes: Michael Franti & Spearhead, John Butler Trio, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, and many others.

Labels: festivals, renewables, sarah

SELF-SUFFICIENT SKYSCRAPER. German architect, Eckhard Gerber, wants to build self-sufficient office towers in Riyadh, Dubai and Bahrain that produce 100% of their own electricity supply. The first tower would be 68-storeys, making it the 22nd tallest building in the world, and he is currently in talks with potential investors for the $406 million project. The cylindrical shape presents the minimum surface area to the sun, and a solar shield covers 60 degrees of the building. This will reduce the need for air conditioning.

Seawater will be used to cool air, as well as three large cooling units in the building's cellar. The roof will house a 197 foot wind turbine and 161,459 square feet of solar cells. The additional energy requirements will be handled by a floating solar panel island which drifts in the sea, close to the tower. Any excess electricity will be used to extract hydrogen from sea water, which is used by fuel cells to generate power at night. ::more ::Spiegel Online

Labels: green building, renewables, sarah, treehugger

Looking for a quick, E-Z way to blow your mind? How does this grab ya: In Dub, Infected Mushroom, Amon Tobin, Girl Talk, The Juan Maclean, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Bassnectar, King Brit, Hanging Brains, Zilla, Eoto, The Join.

Oh, and do not forget the Disco Biscuits. They are hosting Camp Bisco 6, August 16-18 at the Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville, New York. Disco Bicuits, are one of the most popular trance-fusion bands in the biz, huge on the live-electronic, jamband and Bonnaroo circuits and still going strong after 12 years.

For three nights of music and camping, you get all those sonic visionaries (more t.b.a.) plus plenty of food and craft vendors, all located on 200 green acres of countryside located about a half-hour from Albany and 3 hours from Boston and New York City. All the amenities included.

We are additionally told that this year, Camp Bisco will Go Green. Camp Bisco 6 will be powered by 100% renewable energy, thanks to sponsors Green Mountain Energy Company and Sustainable Waves. Green Mountain Energy Company and Sustainable Waves are pleased to offer Camp Bisco attendees the opportunity to green up their concert experience by purchasing a Green Ticket. When you buy a Green Ticket, Green Mountain will green-up the Camp Bisco concert experience by providing, on behalf of the ticket buyer, 250 kWh of Green-e certified renewable energy made from sources like wind and bio-energy. By purchasing a Green Ticket, each individual can help offset an estimated 348 lbs of CO2 created by activities like driving their car to the show.

Not-for-profit Conscious Alliance will also be on site to host a food drive. As in years past, food donations collected will go to benefit local food pantries in their effort to help feed hungry Americans. Attendees are encouraged to bring 10 non-perishable food items redeemable for a limited edition Camp Bisco 6 / Conscious Alliance poster.

Presale tickets have already been launched at the DiscoBiscuits.com site, and general public tickets go on sale today. Go to Bisco Tix website.

Labels: Camp Bisco, festivals, HARP, renewables

OK. Time to decode some renewable energy geek talk for you: a renewable energy portfolio standard is usually declared by a United States governor or a state agency that oversees environmental affairs for the state. You'll hear a politician say something like "By 2020, 20% of the energy used in the great state of XYZ will come from renewable sources like wind power or solar power!" on TV with a zillion smiling environmentalists in the background of the shot.

You normally don't hear much about it after that---unless you read geeky renewable energy publications like my personal favorite, Wind Energy Weekly. I <3 Wind Energy Weekly....but I digress....

I monitor my utility's progress with the state RPS when I get my bill from my power company telling me what resources were used to make the power I use in my apartment. As I glance at the pie chart in the bill insert, I often remark "Hm! Not quite there yet, are you?! You better get moving, the RPS is coming for you in three short years." which prompts my roommate to smile patiently at me across the table.

Here is a map of the U.S. with all the current renewable portfolio standards from the Pew Center for Global Climate Change

Pretty cool, eh? I'm proud to say that all three states I've called home at one time or another have renewable portfolio standards. To further this great movement in the US, the people at Wind Energy Works! put together a website for people to get involved and urge their congress people to support a national renewable portfolio standard. Check out the webpage here and take action. In addition, Wind Energy Works! is an awesome resource for good arguments for the dinner table on why renewable energy is such an important thing to support. But you don't have to take my word for it!

Labels: renewables, sarah

Labels: fan resources, Kelley Stoltz, Matt Costa, renewables, sarah