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Dr. Gal Luft, Executive Director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, and founder of the Set America Free Coalition, will speak on "America's Oil Dependence and What It Means for Our Future."

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This biodiesel fleet roundtable is for fleet managers that are interested in learning more or switching to a renewable fuel for fleet operations. The event will feature discussions with Ohio based fleet managers who are currently operating their fleet on biodiesel as well as local experts on supply and pricing. RSVP to Brad Couch at 614/884-7336 or brad@cleanfuelsohio.org

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Ohio State University will host Wooster’s first annual Scarlet, Gray and Green Fair from 1-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22 — Earth Day.

Organized by the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) and the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute (Ohio State ATI), the event aims to celebrate, educate and demonstrate that it’s “easy being green.”

Showcasing eco-oriented exhibits, demonstrations, companies, artisans, speakers, entertainers and food vendors all in one place.

Featured, among other things, will be the benefits of bicycling, biodiesel and how it works, planting a rain garden, building a rain barrel, recycling yard waste, organic fertilizer and pest control, enviroscaping, the benefits of trees, how to turn trash into attractive handicrafts, estimating one’s carbon footprint, a green-campus design competition (grades 9-12), an environmental stewardship essay competition (grades 11-12), an ecological yardscape competition (open to all), a “Kilowatt Ours” energy challenge, and Earth Day poster, display, skit, poem and video competitions (grades 1-12).

For more information, contact Allen Zimmerman, (330) 287-1263 or zimmerman.7@osu.edu, or go to http://www.wcsen.org/wcsggf.

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Earth Day Coalition's Clean Transportation Program in partnership
with the Clean Air Task Force, the Ohio Environmental Council, the
Cleveland Clean Air Century Campaign, and NOACA are proud to present a
3/4 day conference on clean diesel retrofits.

This event will feature comprehensive information on the range of
products available for reducing tailpipe emissions from heavy duty
diesel engines.

Conference components include:

-a live (outdoor) demonstration of a diesel particualte filter (DPF)
utilizing equipment which provides a realtime visual display of
emissions reduction.

-a technical explanation, targeted at fleet managers, of the science
behind the functioning of various retrofits, including, DOCs, DPFs, CCV's, APUs, and more.

-a question and answer panel featuring representatives from major retrofit manufacturers

-a question and answer panel on sources of funding for diesel retrofits, including specifics on Ohio's recently announced DERG program.

We hope you will be able to join us!
$30 cost includes continental breakfast and lunch

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2008 Ohio Fuel Cell Symposium, “Energy through Synergy: Industry, Entrepreneurship and Academics Fueling Economic Growth.”

Conference presentations, exhibitor show, student and industry poster displays and student poster competition.

More information and registration details.

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This month's topic is electric cars. Join Green Energy Ohio in Akron for its first network meeting of 2008. Snack on delicious food from Mustard Seed while hearing from Dana Myers, President of Myers Motors. Located in Tallmadge, Myers Moters is dedicated to provide creative, innovative, functional, responsible and fun alternative forms of transportation (www.myersmotors.com).

Learn more on upcoming environmental events, and network with professionals and others dedicated to creating a sustainable energy economy in Ohio.

The event is free and open to the public. RSVP to Athan at Athan@GreenEnergyOhio.org or call (216) 526-5545.

We all want to make Cleveland, in particular, and Northeastern Ohio, in general, a more livable, sustainable, healthy, and happy place for future generations to come. Who could be against this? What is needed (and what this and other worthwhile organizations have been working on bringing together) is a wholistic, systematic approach to how we are going to be able to do this. Before we can begin to work on this collaborative effort to making NEO a healthier, more enjoyable and more sustainable place, however, we have to take a realistic look at the challenges that are facing us.

Many are predicting, that the world is entering a period of change more drastic than anything that humanity has thus far encountered. The innerconnected and converging threats of climate change, peaking of world oil supply, water scarcity, increasing food prices and shortages, unconstrained population growth, and the general degredation of ecological systems as a whole are coming together in a perfert storm that is sure to bring challenging times to come. Some would say that is a euphimism. Author James Howard Kunstler has called this coming period of time "The Long Emergency."

Cycling is usually discussed as important for personal or public health or easing traffic congestion and area pollution, but what of a simple economic argument?  Here are a few points to consider how increased bicycle riding adds an estimated $2.6 billion to the area economy, prepared by a Portland, Oregon economist. 

* Driving less saves the region $1.1 billion in out-of-pocket expenses that come with car ownership, such as gas, parking and auto maintenance and repair.  That amounts to about 1.5% of all personal income earned in the metro area in 2005. * If a commuting motorist spends 100 fewer hours a year behind the wheel, they save $1.5 billion in time spent traveling. Here's a clipped version of the story and a link to the full story for you to review:
Less driving is more cash for Portland: Urban living - The metro area saves on mileage, a study finds, and mostly uses it to fill the local economy's tank
Monday, August 20, 2007
DYLAN RIVERA The Oregonian Staff

Smart Cars will be in Cleveland this weekend as the national tour for these 40+ mpg babies (manufactured from a material named Trespa, 80% of which comes from fast-growing European timber without formaldehyde, CFC and asbestos) get ready to hit the U.S. market in 2008. Test drive one from 12 – 7 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday at Wade Oval in University Circle.

While you’re thinking about gas mileage, swing by NRDC’s Drive Beyond Oil tour which will park by Cleveland's Mall C on Monday, July 30 at 2 p.m (UPDATE: The Monday Cleveland stop has been canceled). Their crew is talking to local citizens and clean energy advocates urging them to ask their member of Congress to vote in favor of raising fuel economy standards. Traveling along in a Toyota Highlander hybrid—spreading the message '35 MPG or Bust'—the team's activities are being chronicled in video, photographs, podcasts and daily blog updates.

What about home-grown activities to reduce our mpg?

Cuyahoga County's first alternative fuels station—selling biodiesel (B20) and Ethanol (E85)— should open in late August on State Rd, just south of I-480 in the City of Parma, John McGovern, Clean Fuels Program Coordinator for Earthday Coaltion tells GCBL.

Here's a sign of progress on Euclid Avenue, demonstrating that cyclists and motorists can work together to create options for individuals and communities. The street sign photograph is a clear signal that motorists need to be prepared for cyclists and share the road. Interestingly, the signs that cyclists and buses share the road confirms the informal policy, that cyclists can share the otherwise exclusive bus lanes, for instance those on Superior Avenue.  This policy was also expressed by RTA officials, in a presentation to "Meet the Bloggers" at a midtown Cleveland event, hosted by Webtego.  To hear RTA officers commenting on bikes in bus lanes, or the Euclid Corridor project, go here.

 
Share the Road, It's the Law!  
For information on cycling in Northeast Ohio, visit ClevelandBikes