Photo by Kivanc via Flickr

Who doesn’t dream of their own private island - especially one that’s eco-friendly and self-sustaining?

Celebrity islands are nothing new - but as more superstars adopt green lifestyles, we’re seeing the number of celebrity eco-islands steadily rise. From hydrogen and solar power and desalination systems to organic gardens amid nature reserves, these green celebrities are going all out to decrease their carbon footprint.

Private Eco-Islands

Photo by Moria via Flickr

Johnny’s pirate days are far from over - Little Hall’s Pond Cay, spanning 35 acres of the Bahamas, has belonged to Depp since 2005. The island features 6 private beaches, a cottage, and a tiki hut but will soon boast the third, completely off-grid, solar hydrogen powered home in the world. Mike Strizki - featured in a previous post about amazing ways to use hydrogen power - designed the system that will power Johnny’s eco island retreat.

Photos by Lower Mills Estate Architecture

This odd-shaped beauty is one of several eco-homes integrated into the beauty of the Cotswolds. 48 unique designs will scatter the lakes of the 550 acre, privately-owned Cotswold nature reserve and will make up the Landmark Houses of Lower Mills Estates in the Cotswold Water Park. The Orchid House seen here was recently purchased by an unknown buyer, thought to be in the entertainment industry, and will take 3 years to complete. The house will operate on geothermal energy and an underground pump and is expected to produce a surplus of power.

If you prefer to buy your own eco-island getaway…

Kylie Minogue’s charming 4 bedroom French Island farmhouse has been on the market for nearly a year now and was recently reduced to a $1 million price tag. The home, surrounded by organic gardens and orchards, is set on about 50 acres with panoramic views of the ocean. An additional 171 acre farm is also available as part of the Minogue estate, offering plenty of room for animals to complete the self-sufficient home. Solar and wind power generate the home’s energy, with a back-up generator operating on diesel.

Or maybe a celebrity eco-island vacation is more your style?

This eco-paradise belongs to rocker Nick Hexum of band 311. While Nick is on tour, beautiful (and sustainable) Melody Key is available for rental for $8,000 per week and includes complete access to the 5 and a half acres of natural island pleasure as well as the 5,000 square foot home. A large-scale desalination system provides the island’s water while a solar inverter generates all the necessary power. Whoever rents this celebrity eco-island getaway will definitely not be roughing it - state of the art WI-FI, a heated pool, and jacuzzi are just a few of the amenities. If you have an extra $4.9 million on hand, you could always buy the island. The price includes a couple of boats and a mainland lot for parking.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s private island was purchased in 2005 for $1.75 million. Blackadore Caye is 104 acres of sandy beaches and tropical plant life, situated off the coast of Belize. DiCaprio’s plans for the island include an eco-resort with private, beach front villas as well as a landing strip for visitors with private planes. While many of the features on this eco island seem far from environmentally friendly, the structures are supposed to be carefully integrated into the landscape so local wildlife is undisturbed. Construction is scheduled to start on Blackadore Caye sometime this year - you can see DiCaprio’s eco island vision here.

Located just a mile and a half from Sir Richard Branson’s glamorous Necker Island, Moskito Island is a part of the British Virgin Islands and is Branson’s third private island. Plans for the resort are still under review but include a beach front restaurant serving organic food grown on the island and 20 private villas constructed from local timber. The eco island will be powered by wind turbines and solar energy, while taking advantage of the Caribbean breeze to minimize cooling needs. Biofuel-powered beach buggies will provide transportation around the carbon neutral resort. Plans to create a more eco-friendly Necker Island are said to be underway as well.

The last eco resort on our list is not really a celebrity island but well worth a mention for its eco friendliness and star appeal. Amidst the ancient Mayan ruins of Belize, Francis Ford Coppola’s tropical paradise is compromised of 3 unique resorts - the first, Blancaneaux, featuring Coppola’s personal villa; La Lancha, with exquisite river front cabins; and Turtle Inn on the Belize coast, boasting private seaside villas with secluded gardens and outdoor showers. Organic gardens and orchards provide 80% of the resorts meals and fresh eggs are gathered daily from the on-site chicken coop. Guests can also enjoy a bottle of Coppola’s fine wine while taking in the scenery from their open-air cottage.

Whether it’s a private retreat to get away from it all or a fabulous resort to share with their wealthiest fans, green celebrities are going all out with their eco islands. Melody Key is my personal fave - too bad its way out of my budget! What are your thoughts on these celebrity eco islands?

Want to green your ride, but can’t afford a Tesla? That’s okay… there are plenty of cool (if not quite so flashy) new transportation options coming down the pike that will cost you less than $100,000. Some of ‘em you can even build yourself.

Seriously Strange Fossil Fuelings:

Who needs hydrogen? Some energy alternatives have been around for years, and are making a comeback.

1. Wood

It’s not talked about as much as the Manhattan Project, but there was a big energy crisis during WWII, when the military sucked up a huge portion of the world’s petroleum output. Individual car-owners across Europe converted their cars and trucks to run on… wood.

Wood?

Wood. Engines don’t run on liquid gasoline - they literally run on fumes. Same goes for the fire in your fireplace – when you see flames rising, that’s the fumes of volatiles coming off the logs and igniting. You can do the same thing in your car.

Some folks are working on making this high-tech, with scrubbers and sealed, carefully controlled burners. Renewable Energy Systems are currently running a demonstration coast-to-coast tour with a couple of modded 1991 Dodge Dakota V8 pickups.

But for now you can go very low-tech – plonk a stove on the back of your pickup and run a vacuum hose to the carburetor; after that your spark plugs ignite the fumes as per usual. You can get information on the web to rig your vehicle with a hundred or so dollars in parts: Jim Mason offers workshops and info, or order a how-to guide from Mother Earth News.

But either way, your fuel can be wood if you want – or any scrap biomass.

2. Steam

The British Steam Car looks like the Batmobile and runs like an iron horse. It is not quite road-ready just yet, though, as it guzzles 1,000 litres (one ton!) of water per 25 minutes of travel time. So for now it is recommended only for shorter commutes (or perhaps not at all).

3. People Power

HumanCar is driven by people - even the steering is human powered, like on a bicycle or motorcycle.

How does it work? They’re being very, very cagey – there’s lot of talk on their website about patents and proprietary trade secrets, not too much on how it will run.

But for sure, this won’t be a Flintstones-style feet-through-the-floor operation.

Already on the Market:

4. ZAP Xebra

Perfect for in-city commuting or shopping, this little car only has a 25-mile range. Still, it brags that even after counting emissions from generating the electricity it uses, it produces 98% less pollution than a gas vehicle. And it’s available now. Next up: A ZAP trucklet with a solar panel to fuel itself.

5. Smart Fortwo

This may look like a toy, but it pumps out 110 horsepower (between a 4-cylinder gas engine and a 50-kilowatt electric motor) And it is kind of cute. This vehicle seats two comfortably (depending on the individual, of course); at a stretch you can cram in thirteen contortionists.

Future Green Transport:

6. Zoop

This little electric flitter can travel at up to 120 mph (although that prospect raises the specter of “Unsafe at Any Speed”). The Zoop is more about being seen – hence the clear canopy and the flashy design by EV-proponents André and Coqueline Courrèges of Paris-based fashion house Maison de Courrèges.

7. Ecooter

It is hard to say whether this Chinese offering is even a car, and even the name implies it is some sort of scooter…

Still, it has four wheels (in a diamond layout, rather than the standard “four corners” formation) and there is a roof over your head to keep out the wind and rain, so perhaps it qualifies.

The way it parks is particularly interesting - thanks to the diamond wheelbase, you can do some remarkably tight turning with this little thing:

7. Loremo

The name stands for “Low Resistance Mobile” This just goes to show that you don’t need to wait for next decade’s technology to accomplish amazing things with milage: The Loremo combines a highly-efficient German-engineered diesel engine with extremely low-drag design to achieve 150 miles per gallon. Coming next year to Europe, with US launch to follow.

8. Helios

Want to really get off the grid? Helios has the answer: a solar-powered buggy with a saurian solar sail that spreads out to soak up the sun and recharge, photovoltaicly. This concept car won the Best Use of Technology at the Interior Motives Design Awards 2008. Note to racers: do NOT attempt to deploy the sail as a drag chute…

9. The Air Car

Coming as early as spring 2009 from MDI and Zero Pollution Motors, it runs on compressed air. Developed by Formula One engineer Guy Nègre, the Air Car is expected to make big inroads in India, where it will be sold as the Tata Nano for $2500.

10. VW 1-Liter

A few of the mainline automakers are trying to break out of the gas-guzzler mode (although not GM, who have announced they won’t be bringing their min-cars to the US market, further demonstrating their brilliant business acumen and why the government should give them a big bailout.) VW wanted a car that would go 100 miles on one liter of gas, but it’s taken them more than six years to perfect the high-tech low-weight materials like carbon fiber and titanium. Along with a super-sleek aerodynamic shell, this diesel-powered commuter car is scheduled to get a spectacular 235 mpg when it hits the roads (in a limited edition test release) in 2010.

Can’t wait - or really want to do something now? Don’t despair - you can upgrade your current rustbucket to at least make it a little more fuel-efficient.

Biomass Can Come from a Great Variety of Interesting Sources

Biomass energy and biomass fuel are becoming more and more viable options for a sustainable future. But Biomass is a lot more fascinating than most people realize, with fuel sources ranging from chicken excrement to human fat and even stranger substances you might never have guessed. The many, many different possibilities for biomass materials makes it one of the most fascinating forms of alternative energy - especially when you consider these unusual methods of biomass production:
(more…)

You may well be wondering - why the heck is Nancy Pelosi pushing through a bill that allows for offshore drilling? Isn’t that against everything we’re supposed to stand for? Is this another example of business-as-usual betraying core Democratic principles?

Alas, sometimes green areas fall in grey areas. Here’s the scoop:

Where’s the fire? Why rush it through now?

The offshore drilling ban, in place now for decades, has a “sunset provision”. It has to be renewed every few years.

Unless a bill is passed, the ban expires on September 30. At which point… Bush could immediately hand out leases anywhere he wants to.

So, we need a bill, and a bill that can pass, by September 30.

What’s in the bill?

As it now stands, the bill (technically, it’s House Resolution 1433,Louise Slaughter’s Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act), keeps some limits: no drilling within 100 miles of shore (50 miles in some areas). And it works in a bunch of good things:

• Restores tax credits for renewable energy, which had expired (and Republicans were blocking).
• Closes tax loopholes for the oil companies (when you hear Republicans talking about “Tax Increases” tonight on the TV, that’s what they’re talking about - the bill closes loopholes, but doesn’t impose any new taxes)
• Curbs to energy speculation (we still don’t know how much of this summers sky-high prices were the result of speculators)
• Release 10 percent of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (which should also help to drive prices back down ahead of the election…)
• Includes a “Use It or Lose It” provision that says oil companies can’t just sit on leases, but have to actually drill for oil (companies currently have millions of acres of leases that they’re not doing anything with… leading some to wonder why we have to open up new areas for drilling if there are plenty of virgin fields just sitting there, undrilled…)
• Includes incentives for public transit, clean coal, and other good green goals.

Is this a good compromise?

Maybe. It might get a few things done that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. And we have to get something passed, or we’re stuck with drilling, regardless.

Will it work?

Good question.

The Senate has a completely different bill under consideration, a bi-partisan compromise measure proposed by a “Gang of 20″ which just happens to include the Republicans up for re-election this year who are considered most endangered - New Hampshire’s John Sunnunu, North Carolina’s Elizabeth Dole, Maine’s Susan Collins, Minnesota’s Norm Coleman and Oregon’s Gord Smith.

The two houses will have to hash our their differences, bring together a compromise bill, and then… Bush has threatened to veto it.

So wait - this isn’t actually going to become law?

Not likely. Again, the drilling ban expires in two weeks… which is what the Republicans want.

So what’s actually going on here?

Cover.

The Repubs can go back to their moderate-to-liberal constitutents in Oregon, Maine and New Hampshire and say, “Look, I care about the environment!”

Pelosi and Reid can say “Look, we tried the bipartisan compromise that everyone in the damn media has been claiming we should be doing - and Bush vetoed it. So much for bipartisanship!”

And drilling?

Hopefully President Obama can do damage control after he takes office in January. Along with damage control on Iraq, Wall Street, infrastructure, health care, employment… well, you get the picture.

(Photo: “Offshore Oil Platform Under Construction” — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis)

The US Airways Center will be the latest venue to benefit from alternative power, as the Phoenix Suns have announced plans to utilize solar panels, one of only a few professional sports organizations to currently do so.

Enough energy will be provided from the panels to reduce energy usage by roughly 26 home games, says Suns General Manager Steve Kerr. In other words, it will be as if 26 Suns basketball games never occurred at the US Airways Center, which means a big improvement on power consumption. Also, 440,000 pounds of carbon dioxide are expected to be eliminated each year. A total of 1,100 panels at 194 kilowatts on the parking garage’s fifth level will make this feat possible, providing a green mentality that celebrated Canadian and Suns point guard Steve Nash can get behind. Nash has long been a big proponent for eco-friendly sports venues  and green initiatives as a whole, so the star should be pleased with his team’s efforts, which are likely to be expanded to include the use of green cleaning products by the maintenance crew, and more. Nash is even apparently installing solar panels at his home - perhaps we should call him Apollo Nash?

The new installation will run the Suns about $1.5 million, but the Arizona Public Service Co. will rebate the team $60,000 to $85,000 each year as part of their commendable renewable energy incentive program. However, the Suns won’t be ponying up cash themselves any time soon, and fans won’t be seeing an increase in ticket prices, concession costs or anything similar to make up the difference. Instead, the organization is teaming up with Tioga Energy, who will conduct panel maintenance for the next 20 years in return for an annual fee paid by the Suns that is contingent on the amount of solar energy produced.

All in all, it seems like a win-win situation for both parties as well as the environment. And hey, doesn’t it all just make sense for the Phoenix Suns? Surely there can be some additional beneficial publicity arising from this, too, given the team name.

For the record, the Suns aren’t the first to get in on the eco-friendly action. The San Francisco Giants were the first baseball team to use solar power, installing 590 panels at AT&T park back in March 2007. The Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies have followed suit since, at Fenway Park and Coors Field, respectively. In August of this year, it was announced that the Staples Center, which houses the Los Angeles Lakers, would receive their own collection of 1,700 solar panels.

Source: azcentral.com