OrganicAuthority.com - Organic Blog » wind http://www.organicauthority.com/blog Organic Authority - organic food, organic living, green living, organic thoughts. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:18:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 From Oil Rig to Eco-Resort… http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/the-environment/from-oil-rig-to-eco-resort/ http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/the-environment/from-oil-rig-to-eco-resort/#comments Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:21:53 +0000 Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/?p=2700 sparig

That’s an oil rig and a vacation spot. An odd combination, but it could become a reality. One U.S. design firm wants to reclaim and oil platforms in Gulf of Mexico and convert into luxurious self-sustaining eco-resorts and spas.

The retooled rig is powered by its own renewable energy, including solar panels, wind turbine and wave energy generators and the resort will provide guest with all modern amenities and luxury activities, like diving, boating, snorkeling and other water sports. Neato!

It’s the idea of Houston-based architecture and design firm Morris Architects and recently won the grand prize at the 2008 Radical Innovation in Hospitality design competition.

Via Inhabitat.

]]> http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/the-environment/from-oil-rig-to-eco-resort/feed/ 0 Kuzumaki Off the Grid http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/the-environment/kuzumaki-off-the-grid/ http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/the-environment/kuzumaki-off-the-grid/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:52:57 +0000 Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/?p=1777 This is cool! A little town in Japan, called Kuzumaki generates 161% of its power needs from clean energy. A marvel, since Japan is a resource-scarce nation, importing 90% of its fuel. The town, of 8,000 residents, utilizes solar panel arrays, wind farms and methane gas from dairy cow dung. The extra power is sold to neighboring communities. Kuzumaki’s self-sufficiency is the brainchild of its former mayor, who lobbied for government funding and grants. Now he promotes tourism to Kuzumaki, which hosts more than 400,000 visitors a year. But, the Kuzumaki’s population is shrinking as younger people move out and older residents die off. Even still, citizens hope their little town serves as a model for the rest of the world. Imagine New York City or Los Angeles off the grid. It’d take a lot of cow crap! Via Time Magazine.]]> http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/the-environment/kuzumaki-off-the-grid/feed/ 2 Jay Leno’s Green Garage http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/the-environment/jay-lenos-green-garage/ http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/the-environment/jay-lenos-green-garage/#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:30:53 +0000 Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/?p=1612 Most people know Jay Leno from the Tonight Show or his standup career in the 1980s. But he’s also a gear-head. He likes cars. And in our new eco-conscious society, driving hotrods and gas-guzzlers isn’t going to win many hearts and minds. That’s why Leno’s different. Somewhere in Southern California is Jay’s Big Dog Garage and it’s outfitted with a lot of eco-innovations:
  • 54-kilowatt solar panel system
  • 10-kilowatt vertical axis wind turbine
  • Parts-washer that uses microbes to consume grease and oil
  • Industrial canister exchange system, replaces aerosol cans for break cleansers
  • Natural all-purpose cleaners
  • 90% efficient hot water heater.
He’s also got a bunch of cool cars, like a GM biodiesel super-car powered by a Honeywell LT-101 turbine engine. For more, check out Jay Leno's Garage. Via The Los Angeles Times.]]> http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/the-environment/jay-lenos-green-garage/feed/ 0