North Texas Master Naturalist – Calendar & Info

Looking for exciting opportunities to learn something new about local wildlife or volunteer in the outdoors?  The North Texas Master Naturalist group maintains a comprehensive calendar of events for many of our local environmental preservation and development organizations (i.e., Cedar Ridge Preserve, Native Plant Society of Texas, Texas Master Naturalist, Connemara Conservancy, Heard Museum).  All events are open to the public.

If you’re simply seeking more information on Texas native trees/shrubs/mammals/reptiles, identifying invasive species or educating yourself on the natural history of  North Texas, see the Links page on the North Texas Master Naturalist website.

Guided Tour – TimberCreek Net-Zero Energy House – Lewisville (11/7/09)

It’s been a while since we’ve toured a “green” home.  And since over the last couple years we’ve seen increases in consumer/producer awareness for more energy efficient construction, increases in demand for EE housing and economies of scale in EE construction materials cost and availability, maybe we’re due for another.  Let’s tour the TimberCreek Zero Energy House project up in Lewisville which was recently completed and see if the large-scale housing construction market has made any EE progress and learn where the industry is going.

From their site: The house is a 2500 sq. ft. demonstration project for the Department of Energy’s “Building America” program to encourage homeowners and builders to take the next step in living and building in a more fiscally and environmentally sensible manner. This home will incorporate renewable energy resources as well as eco-friendly materials and building practices to achieve a high-performance “net zero” home with minimal impact on the environment.  They mention that one of their typical homes this size can be cooled and heated for $38/month and the home costs roughly 10 percent more upfront than a similar standard home, excluding the solar electric.

Date: November 7th, 2009

Carpool Meet Up Time: REI Dallas parking lot at 10:15a (map – 4515 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Dallas 75244) – departing at 10:30a

Tour Time: Approx. 11:00a (depending on shuttle timing, etc.)

Optional lunch: Following guided tour at Manny’s Tex-Mex or The Londoner (both on Midway Rd., near REI) – your vote counts!

No Parking at the TimberCreek House: No parking at actual house.  Park in Westside Baptist Church parking lot nearby (map – 900 Bellaire Blvd, Lewisville, 75067) and take complimentary shuttle to house.

Details: Please RSVP by 11/6 to the Pingg invitation or to the Young Sierrans email address so we have a rough estimate for attendance.  You can meet us at the house or carpool from REI Dallas.  Peter will send his phone number and additional meet up info to participants the day before the tour through Pingg.  You don’t have to be a Young Sierran or Sierra Club mbr to join us!

For more on the house’s features, or any other information, see the house website.  If you can’t join us on the 7th, the builders are offering other tour dates throughout November.

Berkeley Lab Report – Tracking the Sun: The Installed Cost of PV in the US

Even though TX may have missed an opportunity to position itself as a national leader in solar technologies this past legislative session, there’s plenty of good work being performed around the country to prove out the competitiveness of this alternative energy source.  The newly released Berkeley Lab Report, Tracking the Sun II: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the U.S. from 1998-2008, provides a comprehensive summary of installed cost trends for grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States.

The report is based on data from more than 52,000 residential and non-residential PV systems, totaling 566 MW of capacity and representing 71% of all grid-connected PV capacity installed in the U.S. through 2008.  They found that average installed costs have declined over time, from $10.8/W in 1998 to $7.5/W in 2008 (31% reduction), including a 4.6% reduction between 2007 and 2008.  Trends continue to decline into 2009.

A PowerPoint presentation that summarizes key findings can be downloaded here.  Or, the full report.

Report findings include:

• Costs are generally lower in states with larger PV deployment programs (though exceptions exist)
• International experience suggests that greater near-term cost reductions are possible, with Germany and Japan exhibiting significantly lower average installed costs for residential PV systems than the U.S.
• Evidence of sizable economies of scale among the PV systems in our sample, significant variation in average installed cost among states, and cost advantages for PV installed in residential new construction relative to the retrofit market
• Trends in financial incentive levels over time, by customer type and among states, and the associated impact of these trends on the net installed cost of PV for residential and commercial PV system owners after receipt of incentives

Roll Beyond Coal for Clean Air/Energy in Texas (2009)

Did you know that Texas is still building and planning more dirty, coal-fired power plants, and that it is the only state in the nation with such a deadly, costly “coal rush” advancing (more info)?  Scary isn’t it?

Join us for an important and fun-filled Halloween event supporting renewable energy, green jobs, clean air and clean energy which moves us beyond coal and puts Texas on a path to brighter and cleaner energy future.

Date: Saturday – October 31st, 2009
Time: 8:30am – noon (Young Sierrans meet @ 9:30 at the registration table)
Cost: FREE to participate!!
T-shirts: Adults: $10, Students: $5 – Must be ordered by 10/23 to guarantee! * All donations benefit the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club to help fight against new coal plants in TX.
Location: Bath House Cultural Center, White Rock Lake, 521 E. Lawther Drive, Dallas, 75218 (map and directions)
Advanced Registration: Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club

Included Activities:

• Halloween costume contest (prizes awarded!)
• Basic bike check ups
• Facepainting
• Exhibitors on green living & transportation and sustainability
• Postcard signings to the EPA to enforce the Clean Air Act (more info OR speak out online)

Schedule:

• 8:30a – Event Begins – Includes Bike/Walk/Run Registration
• 9:30-10:30a – Speakers & Rally
• 10:30a – Bike/Walk/Run around the lake in support of Clean Air/Energy in TX.

To volunteer or for more event information, please contact organizer Lori Peniche (972-980-7176).  Follow these links if you can’t attend, but still want to support clean air/energy in TX, learn more about Sierra Club Beyond Coal initiatives or sign-up for TX Sierra Club Action Alerts.

Advocate Magazine – Dallas’ McCommas Bluff Landfill

Did you know that the average Texan throws away 7 lbs of waste?  Or, that 30 days per year of landfill space are “saved” by recycling materials?

You can learn much more if you get your hands on this month’s great cover story in the local publication the Advocate about Dallas’ McCommas Bluff Landfill, the biggest landfill in the state (15th largest in the nation).  The story covers a wide range of topics, including local landfill and recycling operations, procedures, costs/revenues and general stats; the bioreactor technology (methane gas harnessing for resale) utilized at the facility; and the expected life of this big-business dump.

Be sure to check the “SIDEBAR” stories on the left side of the page (i.e., The Environmental Scorecard, Trash Stats).

Cyclesomatic – Bike Friendly Oak Cliff Event (2009)

Bike Friendly Oak Cliff is proud to announce Cyclesomatic, a week long bicycle festival in North Oak Cliff from October 2nd to the 11th. Events will include a history-themed group ride, bicycle competitions, Bike to City Hall, Biketoberfest! in Bishop, an Urban Bazaar, a “Kiddical Mass” Ride, Bike to School Day, BBQ, Bands, Bicycle Films at the Texas Theatre, Art Bike Shows, and guest speaker councilwoman Angela Hunt.

New Belgium brewery is sponsoring part of the week, and BFOC is coordinating efforts with DART, BikeDenton, the Oak Cliff Bicycle Company, and more.

Please see the Cyclesomatic calendar of events (20 or so are currently planned) and join in the fun!  Also, check out the local merchant discounts for bicyclists in the Oak Cliff / Bishop Arts area.