[GWSG] Letter to pres; FHA on regional cc; Bonn talks; oil eruption; electric cars; solar coops; PACE in FL

[Tilley, Al]

1.  Ford, PepsiCo, Google, Duke Energy, FPL, GE, and other corporations joined environmental groups in a letter to the President and leaders of the Senate urging action to mitigate climate change.  http://www.politico.com/static/PPM110_100527_leadership_letter.html

2.  The US Federal Highway Administration has released a study of expected changes in regional climate, generally for midcentury though with frequent projections for the nearer term and the century’s end.  The projections are relatively conservative (suitably), but provide a generally useful picture.  Click on the table of contents for sections of the full report.  Section 3.1 has several graphic depictions of national trends.  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/climate_effects/effects00.cfm

3.  185 nations are represented at the UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany, which run through June 11.  Discussion has largely concerned difficulties with the Copenhagen accords.  http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64U3ID20100531?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

4.  The Gulf oil spill has so far amounted to 2-4% of one day’s US consumption of oil.  The US is the world’s largest importer, and a growing amount of that comes from the Canadian tar sands.  http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0531-hance_consumption.html  The “world’s most damaging oil spill” is placing more than 8300 species of plants and animals at risk (not to mention the economies of the region).  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/oil-spill-creates-huge-undersea-dead-zones-1987039.html

5.  Mitsubishi is expanding sales of its i-MiEV electric car to the general public.  Costing about $50,000, it is full of features and recharges relatively quickly.  Hong Kong’s MyCar costs $11,88 and has a range of about 60 miles.  With a renewable electrical supply for both production and operation, and an adequate recharging network, electric autos can be a major contributor an energy transition.  http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/36473/  A site devoted to the electric car:  http://www.allcarselectric.com/

6.  A growing number of communities are organizing solar cooperatives to share information, vet installers, and, in some cases, drive down the costs of their installations.  http://www.cnbc.com/id/37335250

7.  Governor Crist has signed into law provisions establishing the opportunity for local Florida governments to provide loans under the PACE program for solar installations.  Homeowners would have the loans repaid through their property taxes, and the loans would thus transfer to new owners when the home is sold.  Payments are meant to be less than the savings on energy bills. http://www.flaseia.org/PressReleaseNews/GovernorCristSignsPACELaw05-31-10.html