Vancouver Gets the Gold for Being "Green"

By guest blogger "Officer Green"

Year after year, determined, skilled, and promising athletes pack their bags and head to the Olympics for their chance at gold. What’s ironic is that something as constant and sound as the Olympics is still undergoing drastic and rapid change- right before our very eyes. What most people don’t realize when they are watch Lindsey Vonn fly down the mountain (regardless of whether she is getting a gold or falling and taking Julie Mancuso down with her), is that they are watching her under B.C.’s new $33 million, 7.9 megawatt small-scale hydroelectric facility from Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

And this is just the beginning, whether it is for the Olympics or not, B.C. has shown considerable desire to be “greener”- in fact, as Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has stated, “Our goal is to become the greenest city in the world by 2020, and we will be working hard as a city to participate in the challenge.”

From working with Carbon War Room and Green capital, British Billionaire Sir Richard Branson’s capital fund project which helps businesses support green initiatives in the city, to electric ice resurfacers clearing the skating grounds for the hockey games at the Olympics. Whether they worked or not- it is clear this is a serious, and notable attempt to make Vancouver a healthier stomping ground, both for it’s residents, and the visiting Olympians.

What is also clear is that we are no longer on the tip of the “sustainable” iceberg. We are now knee deep in practices and companies (let alone cities and countries) that have caught on to this soon to be global effort.

Let’s just hope the Joe-six packs of the world figure it out before they are forced off their gas guzzling Zamboni’s!

Obama on Electricity

Barack Obama says that "under my plan of a cap and trade system electricity rates would necessarily sky-rocket", he also said in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle that trade energy policy "would cause electricity rates to sky-rocket". The necessity for alternative energy specifically solar energy is at an all time high. If you were to go over your utility rates for the past 10-15 years you would notice that your rates have increased 4.5% and electricity rates are expected to increase 5.5% over the next 15 years. With a photovalic system going green is now a great way to provide a low fixed cost on your utility bills. As our energy consumption "sky-rockets" it is no longer a secret that so will the cost. Not only are we paying for our energy consumption with hard earned money we are also becoming increasingly dependent on foreign oil. Alternative energy is not only good for the environment its good for your wallet.

Hollywood Green

Theres something turning "green" in Hollywood and for once it doesn't have to do with smog. More and more A list celebrities are "going green" and turning there mega mansions into renewable energy palaces. From Johnny Depp to Elaine from Seinfeld the concept of renewable energy is being utilized by many eco friendly Hollywood types. Lets take a look at a few of the most "green" celebrities.



Johnny Depp's Caribbean hideout is is being totally powered by solar-hydrogen power. All 35 acres of it. The "mad hatter" has taken time out of filming Alice in Wonderland to employ Mike Strizki
to engineer the project. Johnny's Pirates of the Cari bean co-star Orlando Bloom is also riding the "green" wave. I think that Capt. Jack Sparrow had some influence on Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) when he constructed his London abode. The project includes solar electricity and energy efficient light bulbs. Compact florescent I presume.



Julia Louis Dreyfus of Seinfeld fame has aways been eco-conscious. Her home in Santa Barbra boasts a retractable roof that provides daylighitng to limit the use electricity consuming lighting fixtures and solar heat that is put back in the grid.

I hope that this is one celebrity trend that Americans will follow in droves. Celebrities are used for all forms of branding and marketing perhaps we could get Johnny Depp or Ed Begley Jr to be the face of Canadian Solar or Tough Trac mounting racks. I think its time we get Elaine from Seinfeld to do a commercial describing how the federal rebates are offered. I'm just happy that going "green" is going Hollywood.