Laurie Simon's Page
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- Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?
- Yes
- Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:
- Ombrella Consulting leads and implements alternative energy sources. We support women in technology and evangelize new projects, ideas, success stories and technology worldwide. For more information visit www.ombrellausa.com
- What excites you about this campaign?
- To evangelize new alternative resources for energy
- What do you want to do to help?
- I want to meet with the T. Boone Pickens team to learn how to drive the Pickens Plan worldwide. There are plenty of us that want a change...I'm in a position to plan, execute and make a difference.
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27FEB09
Honorable Speaker of the House Congresswoman Pelosi,
I am an Electronic Technician Chief in the US Navy with 27 years service stationed overseas. I’m outlying an idea to assist and work with current plans for achieving energy independence. I urge you, as speaker of the house and the driving force to form the select committee on energy independence and global warming, consider for discussion and introduction into the house US Treasury Savings Bonds for Energy Independance.
In WWII America sold war bonds supporting the war effort. When young, my mother told me her primary school raised enough money through bonds to build a tank to support troops. I am impressed with the patriotism and purpose of our greatest generation that accomplished so much.
Selling energy bonds for RE (Renewable Energy) development would lower foreign oil imports and assist with the complex problem of funding. Bonds sold as “Energy S” could support new solar trough plants, “Energy W” to support wind farms, Energy “H” to support hydroelectric plants, Energy “T” to support RE transportation such as electric bullet train routes powered by RE, Energy "C" COOPS for small communities only needing a small quantity of turbines, and Energy “I” for needed infrastructure high voltage power lines to the RE site. Bonds will have the project name and include an artist’s perspective of the project and an American flag. President Obama had great success with the internet during his campaign. In a similar manner, using the internet, energy bonds could have a website listing current projects and an “electronic checkout” could purchase a bond $25 or higher. Simpler methods of payment such as “PAYPAL” and credit cards would be available and after an electronic purchase is complete a color print out of the bond is available with a follow up of the bond in the mail. The website would limit quantity of projects for each category until funding is complete. After a project becomes funded, a new project will be available. A tab on the site will show history and status of previous projects. Purchasers may take great pride in “collecting” and displaying bonds of various RE projects and participating at different levels of financial support. Solar trough plants in the multi-hundred MW size capacity with molten salt energy storage in California, Arizona, and West Texas can provide a major portion of electric needs. North Dakota has potential to support 1/3 of our nations electric needs in it’s class 4 wind zone areas. There are plenty of suitable proposed wind turbine farms now around the nation to significantly increase our RE if funded. Mid sized hydro-electric has not been used in America to it’s full potential. Following the example of our neighbor, Canada, it would provide a significant increase in percentage of electric production. Developing all three we could provide the majority of our electric and heating needs through renewable energy in a "New New Deal" fashion allowing natural gas for transportation as T. Boone Pickens is working for. Bullet train routes have proven a viable alternative to commercial domestic air service and when powered by electricity provided by RE suppliers America would be in the forefront of world technology. Example, I heard of discussion for a commuter train from Denver to Colorado Springs. Such a route built as a renewable energy project with charter requirement legally requiring to only purchase electricity from available renewable energy sources would be a model example. There are many train routes, city bus systems, and government vehicles that can be converted to run from alternative energy sources and fuels. Jobs created would bolster the economy, lower trade deficit, and strengthen national security. I would take great pride in print outs of bonds with graphics of each project I supported and many other Americans would also. The energy bonds could have tax breaks. BLM lands may be a viable place to start for some projects.
I contacted the US treasury department and was told that the marketing department for savings bonds closed several years ago. I was told there would be problems because savings bonds are at the federal level while the projects will be at the state and local level. I disagree and believe that these can easily be figured out in the way of grants to the state and local level using money from the bonds for those specific projects. I was told to check out auctions on the www.treasurydirect.gov website and found them to not apply to citizens wanting to buy savings bonds to support a cause such as energy independance. I was told by the treasury department to look into CREB (Clean Renewable Energy Bonds). I found CREB to be large scale funding that a citizen would not be able to participate in as a US Treasury Energy Independance Bond would provide. If given the tools to participate directly, the power of the citizens of the United States to help achieve energy independance could not be denied. Americans mean well and the Energy Independance Savings bond program will give citizens the power at their level to make it happen. If marketed through a web page, commercials, and to federal employees the word would get out and participation would spread like wildfire.
Mr. Paul Gipe, a resident of Bakersfield CA, an author of several books about wind energy, and recipient of multiple awards as a pioneer in the industry since the 1970's has put a letter I wrote to Senator Dorgan on this subject as well as an older letter I wrote on wind COOP in JAN07. These websites are:
http://www.wind-works.org/coopwind/RenewableEnergyBondsforEnergyIndependence.html
and
http://www.wind-works.org/articles/AmericanEnergyIndependencethroughCooperativeInvestmentinWindEnergy.html
Sincerely and very respectfully,
ETC(SW/AW) Mike Kendall USN
Mailing address: PSC 476, Box 879, FPO AP, 96322 USA
Telephone (803) 265-4756, Email: ke6cvh@yahoo.com
I was following a chain of comment authors from one page to another and now here I am on your page. It appears that you have abandoned your page. Did you lose interest in Boone's plan or did this site prove to be nonviable for you? Just curious.
Monte
Have you seen T. boones AUTO MATIC system to send
e-mail to your rep. You type in a few key strokes and
it auto adresses the e-mail to all your reps and the GOV.
of your state based on zip code. Has a sugested draft of a letter to send. NEVER EASYER. Spread the word to click on the ACTION CENTER at the main web site.
We now have a RED "CONTACT CONGRESS" BUTTON on the main page, top right. Fill out the standard form and the letter is sent to YOUR Governor and Washington Representatives! Easy breezy. Perfect timing considering the energy bill is coming up. We must beat back the lobbyists!
WE CAN DO THIS.
Best
Kim
CALLING ALL LEADERS!
We have petitions/THE PLEDGE on the main page.
I think this is the very best tool we could ask for. It is so much easier to get someone to sign a petition than to go online and join the plan as a member.
I have been test driving it for a few days and got 200 signatures rather eaasily. Most folks had seen the ads or seen Boone on the news. Most were eager to sign it and strongly support it. A few wanted to get more info- I handed them a business card with the website. Very few said no (2 or 3).
I hope you can ask all your "friends" to download a bunch of PLEDGES and fax them back to the office ASAP. THIS IS HOW WE BUILD AN ARMY much faster. Millions of signatures.
Thank you for all your efforts. We have a very strong team. Many ants can take the Hill!
Best
Kim
My name is RoseMarie LaCoursiere, I am new to PickensPlan by 48 hours, yet launched a new group yesterday 'PICKens Me! ~Jobs!' looking to contribute and make great things happen!
I congratulate you on your work! I visited your company website and applaud you. When you have a moment, please do visit my company site at
http://www.virginmoontrading.com and of course the PICKens Me! accessible on my page.
All the best,
RoseMarie LaCoursiere
Many apologies for my late response. Please keep me informed with all your progress and I will do the same! Here is the proper link to the website for my documentary:
www.FeastorFamineMovie.com
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/jul/23/germany.greenbusiness
Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff Legislation Introduced in U.S. Congress
While the Senate dawdles with one set of renewable energy incentives, four members of the House of Representatives, led by Jay Inslee (D-Washington), have introduced a new piece of legislation that everyone concerned about alternative energy in the United States really needs to watch.
Feed-In Tariff Legislation Introduced into House
The Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act would create a feed-in tariff system of payments for small to mid-sized renewable energy suppliers (sites up to 20MW in size) similar to the one which has had such success, and has been recently expanded, in Germany.
Under a feed-in tariff system renewable electricty producers are paid a fixed, above market-rate, tariff for the electricity that is fed into the grid. The cost of this is then spread across all consumers of electricty. In Germany the estimated additional cost to the average family of three is €2 per month.
Inslee: “The feed-in tariff enacted in Germany in 2003 has helped the European nation achieve 55 percent of the world's installed solar capacity, provide 14 percent of its electricity supply from renewable sources and create at least 140,000 jobs. Similar policies also have been adopted by France, Spain and over 40 other countries, provinces and states.”
Inslee’s bill has three main components: guaranteed interconnection to the grid, long-term fixed rate contracts with electric utilities, and a rate-recovery program through a regional cost-sharing commission to minimize the impact on consumers. The bill would set technology-specific rates that utilities would pay renewable energy suppliers, that would incrementally decrease every two years for the 20 year lifespan of the tariff.
Though Inslee does not mention it, given the reports that we’ve seen recently about renewable energy reaching parity with fossil fuels, some of these rates should probably be set to depreciate more quickly than others, but overall the plan is sound.
New Direction in US Renewable Energy Promotion?
It may not seem it at first, and provided there are no demons lurking in the end pages of this bill which limit its effectiveness, this bill could dramatically change the way in which renewable energy is promoted in the United States.
Co-sponsoring the bill with Inslee are Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.), Jim McDermott (D-Wash.; no relation to post author), and Mike Honda (D-Cali.). A companion bill has not yet been introduced in the Senate.
Sierra magazine, a publication of the Sierra Club, has named ASU as one of the nation’s top 10 “coolest” schools for its efforts to stop global warming.
The cover story for Sierra’s September-October issue is its second annual listing of the greenest American colleges and universities.
This year’s top 10 “coolest” schools are noted for taking dramatic steps to curb global warming. Sierra’s list, “10 That Get It,” shows that schools of all sizes are taking action. Top schools earned points for policies in 10 categories: buildings, energy, food, investment, procurement, transportation, curriculum, environmental activism, waste management and overall commitment to sustainability.
A perfect score in every category would give a school 100 points. ASU, with the largest student population of the selected schools, ranked No. 6 with a score of 87.
Sierra’s top 10 “coolest” schools of 2008 are:
1. Middlebury (Vt.) College (2,350 students).
2. University of Colorado-Boulder (29,000 students).
3. University of Vermont-Burlington (10,750 students).
4. Warren Wilson College (Swannanoa, N.C., 850 students).
5. Evergreen State College (Olympia, Wash., 4,400 students).
6. ASU (51,500 students).
7. University of Florida-Gainesville (50,000 students).
8. Oberlin (Ohio) College (2,200 students).
9. University of Washington-Seattle (39,250 students).
10. Tufts University (Medford, Mass., 8,500 students).
“A new trend is sweeping the country,” says Bob Sipchen, Sierra’s editor-in-chief. “American schools are going green. When schools take such significant steps toward addressing global warming, it will have a huge impact on hundreds of thousands of students. And if young people take that passion into their communities and careers, it will reverberate globally.”
“ASU’s growing recognition as an institution committed to advancing sustainability education, research, operations and outreach is a source of pride and a testament to the steadfast dedication and leadership of our university community as a whole,” says ASU President Michael Crow.
Through the generous gifts of Julie Ann Wrigley, ASU’s Global Institute of Sustainability was established in 2004 as the hub of the university’s sustainability initiatives. The institute advances research, education and business practices for an urbanizing world. Its School of Sustainability, the first of its kind in the United States, was established in 2007 and offers integrated degree programs that advance practical solutions to environmental, economic and social challenges.
Sustainability is a fundamental precept at ASU and permeates its teaching, learning, research and business missions. Some key initiatives under way at ASU include deployment of solar power on all four campuses, development of highly efficient buildings, operation of all campuses to be carbon neutral and produce zero waste, and unified dedication and commitment to finding sustainable solutions for issues of energy, water, urbanization and climate change.
“ASU is proud to be included in this group of accomplished universities,” says Bonny Bentzin, manager of university sustainability business practices at ASU. “Rating systems such as the Sierra magazine assessment are important for benchmarking accomplishments and sharing best practices. Through the work of many departments and individuals across the university, we have come a long way.”
Karen Leland, karen.leland@asu.edu
480-965-0013
Global Institute of Sustainability
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http://push.pickensplan.com/group/greenjobsnow
A free green energy system is here now for those who live in New York and Texas, 22 other states are coming as soon as they are fully energy deregulated. Imagine your house and car powered 100% by clean green wind power.. It is possible, as both Pickens and Al Gore say.
www.aaagreenenergy.com
Going green with electricity for a home is as easy as switching energy providers in deregulated states such as Texas and New York. Just switch to an energy provider that offers this option.. Click on link to see what the latest up to date electricity rates are. I can answer any concerns or questions.
Imagine living in a home powered by wind, without spending a dime on machines, wires, inverters, towers, and grid interties or panels!
You can also plug your electric scooter or car into your home and recharge it with wind power also... Guess what?
You are now a living example that Al Gore's and Picken's Plan works.. We can all live 100% green like this if we want to. Getting 100% carbon free for home electricity and cars is not that hard.. Make the choice... go green. If you live a monopoly energy state where you have no choices, push for deregulation, so that you at least have this power and this CHOICE available.
At the very least, save some money and pick a lower priced energy plan.. The above site will also let you compare rates and save up to 28% on your electricity bill. Try it out.. It is FREE to switch and no costs are involved as far as equipment or installation.
Careers are opening up in this field. Green energy consultants are needed in all 50 states. Push green power, educate consumers, switch them to green power.
We can save the planet, one person at a time, one house at a time. All it takes is you getting involved and taking action. Contact me if interested, and I can provide more information.
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