Lubicon Cree – 350orbust

Google is putting its substantial money where its mouth is on new energy technologies. From New Energy News:

When the story of this moment in history is told, it will be about the huge numbers of people in emerging economies coming out of poverty and the transition to New Energy that will make that emergence possible without further eroding the ecosystem and climate. An important part of that story may be Google’s role in facilitating the U.S. New Energy economy.

Google has recently invested
[1] $280 million in SolarCity for rooftop solar financing,
[2] $100 million in Oregon’s 845 megawatt Shepherd’s Flat project, the world’s largest wind farm,
[3] $38.8 million in 169.5 megawatts of North Dakota wind,
[4] power purchase agreements (PPAs) it access to 114 megawatts from an Iowa wind farm and 100 megawatts from a wind farm now under construction in Oklahoma,
[5] $168 million in a BrightSource Energy solar power plant now under construction, [6] $5 million in a solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Germany,
[7] over $100 million in California wind farms,
[8] one-third of the $6 billion for Atlantic Wind Connection (AWC), a transmission backbone system for offshore wind along the eastern seaboard, and
[9] in 9 or more ventures in startups, including ActaCell (batteries), Aptera (electric vehicles), Next Autoworks (advanced efficiency carmaker), Alta Rock (geothermal producer), RelayRides (car sharing), WeatherBill (weather insurance), Silver Spring Networks (smart grid technologies), Cool Planet Biofuels (next generation biofuels), Transphorm (power conversion).

And the corporation continues to invest in energy efficiency implementation at its data centers and in cutting edge advanced New Energy ventures.

Rick Needham, one of the Google execs leading the charge, recently told NewEnergyNews the company intends to show its business community peers that New Energy is as economically practical as it is environmentally sound. Click here to read the full article.

Here is a photo essay on why it is so important to move towards clean, renewable energy – for the Lubicon Cree in Northern Alberta, and for all of us:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz3nSscXamI]

More links:

Today’s Study: Google On Why Renewable Energy Is On The Way

Google.org: The Impact Of Clean Energy Innovation

Tar Sands Action

I am still on vacation with my family, with only intermittent access to my email and the internet while I am away. This media release from the Assembly of First Nations, the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada, was in my inbox this evening, and I felt it was important to share it in a timely way. On April 29, 2011, a leak was discovered in the Rainbow pipeline in northern Alberta. Since then, it appears the provincial and federal governments have been slow to respond to this environmental and public health crisis.

Here is the statement from the AFN:

Little Buffalo First Nation in northern Alberta is in the midst of an ecological disaster and Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo today stated that the federal government, the Alberta provincial government, the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) and Plains Midstream Canada must take responsibility and immediate action to support the residents of the First Nation. There are reports of more than 28,000 barrels of oil spilled at a site 30 kilometers from the Lubicon Cree community.

“We have been monitoring this situation closely for the last seven days and I am seriously concerned by the lack of response for the people of Little Buffalo First Nation,” National Chief Atleo stated. “It is totally inappropriate and, in fact, dangerous if officials at the ERCB are refusing to deal with the fact that people in Little Buffalo are becoming sick from the effects of this disaster. The local school has already been closed. All parties need to work with the leadership and citizens of the community to take action now.”

On April 29, 2011, it was estimated that 28,000 barrels of oil was spilled near Little Buffalo First Nation, located in the Peace River Region of Alberta. Many residents, including children, are experiencing symptoms of nausea, disorientation, headaches, burning eyes and stomach pains. Neither the pipeline owner – Plains Midstream Canada – or the provincial government has met with the people of Little Buffalo First Nation.

The National Chief said: “We need immediate action and we are also calling for an independent investigation into this incident, with the goal of establishing urgent measures and regulation of oil spill incidents. We have a responsibility to protect Mother Earth and the traditional hunting and trapping territories of First Nations. We have made safer and healthier communities one of our priorities for the new federal government. This is a clear demonstration as to why we need plans in place to deal with future disasters.”

AFN Alberta Regional Chief George Stanley and an independent environment officer were in Little Buffalo First Nation yesterday for a fly-over of the area.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdq6UrPTLfU&feature=email]