What is the Definition of Going Green?

Going green relates to the pursuit of knowledge that can lead to environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can help protect the environment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations.

Environmentalism has also been considered in the definition of going green. This term describes the movement to protect the quality and continuity of life through the conservation 

Going Green Definition

of natural resources, prevention of pollution, and the sustainable management of land use practices. In America, it developed out of the philosophical foundations of Thomas Jefferson and Henry David Thoreau. Organised environmentalism began in the late 19th century with the establishment of national parks and forests and the preservation of important natural features and landmarks.

The 1950s and 60s saw the inclusion of wildlife conservation and the importance of reducing air and water pollution, and the production and disposal of solid waste. The scope of environmentalism has continually expanded over the last few decades with the inclusion of sustainability to this field.

In more recent times going green has switched to a more individualistic approach. While governments are still a major driving force behind this movement there is greater emphasis on the role of the individual in the pursuit of green lifestyles. This evolution has seen the creation of the lifestyles of health and sustainability (LOHAS) movement which is a market segment focused on health and fitness, the environment, personal development, sustainable living and social justice.

LOHAS represents a paradigm shift in the consumer market with the alignment of environmental responsibility with consumption. Within the LOHAS market there are different levels of commitment towards going green and the purchasing of products that suit this lifestyle. A number of studies have been conducted in this area with more and more retailers realising the importance of this emerging market segment now and in the future.

The green movement is accelerating, with governments, businesses and individuals realising the importance of a lifestyle that minimises negative environmental impacts. The degree and speed in which this movement permeates the world's population will determine the extent of damage the environment will sustain before people realise that our current way of living is not sustainable.

FWR Group provide our clients with sustainability consulting services for all facets of the emerging sustainable development sector, including technology, strategic planning, sustainable business and education/training industries. We can, for example, source, consult on, and manage all aspects of sustainable development, including sustainable housing and development. Our ongoing relationship to the sustainable development industry, including housing, education, community, and national/international sustainability networks, allows us to provide comprehensive solutions and initiatives for sustainable technologies and development needs.

Source: http://1best4y.blogspot.com/2015/01/what-is-definition-of-going-green.html

Tips for Eco Friendly Living

I used to always believe I led quite a responsible life, and that I am quite aware about environmental issues. But then I saw An Inconvenient Truth, and my perception about environmental issues was

never the same again. I heard a lot of people criticize some of the claims made in the film, and how the film was poorly researched and had got some major facts wrong, etc., and I felt a deep pity for all these people. Sometimes the whole purpose of an artist is so lost among piles of humbug. Did Al Gore create the film to earn money? No. He did it to make people aware. Okay so he got a few numbers wrong - but is that really important? Is that really the point we should all be discussing? There are far too many environmental issues than we are all aware of, and can handle. But did these issues materialize out of thin air? No. They are the consequences of our own actions. And just as we say 'sorry' to someone if we have hurt them, we should take responsibility and charge of the situation we are finding ourselves in today. It is in our hands to save our Earth from any more damage than it has already been inflicted with... after all, where else do we have to go?

25 Eco Friendly Living Tips 

• It is not as difficult as we think it is. Eco friendly living requires very small lifestyle changes that will help you live a life of better quality. To lead an eco friendly life is the crying need of the hour. Here is how you can do your bit. 
• Always take the stairs while walking down the building. You are saving electricity. 
• Let repairing a leaking tap take higher priority than catching the episode of your daily soap opera. Water is life. 
• Carry water with you when you step out of the house. Avoid buying packaged drinking water. 
• Carry shopping bags with you when you go out shopping, Avoid using plastic bags. 
• Support recycling. Reuse bottle, jars, cartons, boxes etc. Buy recycled goods whenever possible. 
• Avoid using colored bathing soaps. They contribute more to environmental pollution. 
• Prefer to car pool. Carpooling has many benefits - environmentally, it saves fuel. 
• Use mechanical pencils instead of wooden pencils. Save trees. 
• Skip the speakers. Use headphones. Minimize sound pollution. 
• Use efficient cooking methods. Cover food while heating on a burner - it heats up faster. 
• Walk to places whenever you can. Saves money, saves fuel, helps you stay fit. If the distance is too much, use a bicycle. 
• Avoid using leather. Prevent poaching. 
• Do not smoke outdoors. Better still, do not smoke. 
• Encourage kids to plant trees. 
• Use solar cookers to cook food. Use solar water heaters instead of a boiler. Use renewable non-conventional sources of energy. 
• Do you really need a new phone? Do you really need another laptop? Do you have to burn that DVD? Electronic waste is most difficult to recycle. Think again. 
• Carry a napkin or a hand towel with you when you step out of the house. Avoid using tissue paper. 
• Aid recycling - separate your garbage before you give it to the garbage collectors. 
• Compost. It will take care of your wet garbage, and give you 100% organic fertilizer for your garden. 
• Choose organic veggies over traditional ones. Save land pollution. 
• Avoid using body deodorants. They contain CFC. Use body splash, talcum powder or speed-stick instead. 
• Restrict the number of light bulbs in your house. Avoid light pollution. 
• Wear eco-friendly clothes. 
• Do not just watch movies like Wall-E, Happy Feet, 2012, Avatar, The 11th Hour for the entertainment factor - take the message home. 
• Inculcate responsibility among yourself and your children. Earth is the only place we got to live. We can't go anywhere from here. Wake up. 
• Everyone only thinks for him/herself these days. But at the rate at which we are going, 2012 looks exactly like how our future is going to be. Maybe not 2012, maybe 2022. But the end may really be that close. It is time we wake up and rise to the situation we have ourselves pulled upon us. Yes development is crucial and necessary. But it is time we ask 'At What Cost?' when we say that. Together we can, and we should do whatever it is in our power, in our hands to make Earth a little cleaner and greener than what it was yesterday, and keep making it better and better for a brighter future. 

Read more: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tips-for-eco-friendly-living.html

Solar Paired With Energy Storage Scores a Regulatory Win in California.

Small energy storage now exempt from interconnection fees and review—another step toward California’s storage goals.

Eric Wesoff, Jeff St. John 
May 21, 2014

Adding an energy storage system to a NEM-eligible solar system or generator in California just became a little easier and more transparent under a new Public Utility Commission ruling.

Last month, Jeff St. John reported on the schism between utilities and the solar industry when it comes to how best to integrate energy storage. California’s big three investor-owned utilities -- Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric and San Diego Gas & Electric -- have been demanding that energy storage systems undergo reviews costing between $1,400 and $3,700 in extra fees. Utilities claimed the review was needed for safety reasons, as well as to make sure that consumers don't game the system; storing grid power and then feeding it back under the guise of green, net-metered power.

In a recent public address, SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive insisted, "There is no extra complexity in interconnecting" a PV system with storage versus just a PV system. At another recent forum, Rive noted that customer interconnect for SolarCity's energy storage system was taking an average of eight months.

CPUC President Mike Peevey publicly said that changes were afoot to remove these obstacles.

Jigar Shah commented on the recent Rive-Musk-Peevey discussion, "This was fantastic theater to force Chairman Peavey to finally rule against his friends at the utility companies. This is the beginning of the end for the utilities." (Shah might be engaging in a bit of hyperbole.)

In any case, last month, California's utility regulators issued a proposed decision that was a rebuke to utilities and a boon for hundreds of stalled battery-backed solar PV projects in California. Storage and solar advocates had been anticipating a ruling that supports a more streamlined, no-cost solution. 

And as of last week, the final ruling is in (here's a link to the full document [PDF]). The decision doesn’t give the distributed generation industry all it wants -- but it removes some significant obstacles.

Here are the basic provisions:

• Systems larger than 10 kilowatts will require a separate meter for measuring the interplay of battery-charging and solar generation at a cost capped at $600. (The cap doesn't apply to projects requiring complex metering solutions.)
• Systems smaller than 10 kilowatts will use an estimation for NEM derating
• The decision directs that exemption from standby charges, interconnection application and review fees for NEM-paired storage would be tested on a provisional basis for systems connecting by December 31, 2015
• NEM-paired storage systems with storage devices larger than 10 kilowatts shall have a maximum output power no larger than 150 percent of the NEM generator's maximum output capacity

“We’re very encouraged by the proposed decision having no application fees, and having the costs of the meters capped,” said Peter Rive, SolarCity's COO, in an interview. Given that SolarCity already monitors each individual installation at the meter and at the inverter, “I don’t think a meter is necessary at all -- but we’re moving things forward,” he said.

As for the finality of this ruling, Will Craven, Sr. Public Affairs Manager at SolarCity, commented, "Procedurally, parties can offer comment on the decision that could then potentially re-open proceedings, but for all intents and purposes, this is it."

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http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Solar-Paired-With-Energy-Storage-Scores-a-Regulatory-Win-in-California