Going Green!

For anyone driving near the intersection of Parker House and Beaver Dam roads near Ocean View, the two solar arrays with 12 panels each in the common area of the Forest Reach community, near the pool, may look pretty impressive, but they are only a third of the system as it was originally designed. The process has been about a year in the making – time spent learning about solar panels, rebates and incentives. Finally, the home owners had hoped even to produce more energy than needed, to offset some costs. But they have hit a snag.

In the second of their roundtable discussions on “green” technology, Bethany Beach Planning Commission members this week met with area experts on solar power installations, getting advice on how the town should regulate the industry as the renewable energy systems become increasingly popular and affordable.

The Bethany Beach Nature Center offered the first of several planned interactive educational youth activity days at the center on Saturday, Oct. 31. The Nature Center is now open on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays until the first of the year and will then re-open in the spring for more activities.

When Carole and Ron Patton of Selbyville installed their solar panels, they didn’t think they would become celebrities, but that’s what happened.

• Stay close to home, or take the train – Thanksgiving is traditionally a time when airports and highways are jam-packed with travelers trying to make it to Grandma’s house. Why not skip the headaches and save some carbon by sticking close to home? Make a new tradition with your friends and family that live in your area.

Bird rescue isn’t exactly what the Center for Inland Bays staff specializes in – but, hey, when somebody is in need, who can say no?

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Collin O’Mara had a message for the attendees of this year’s Today and Tomorrow Conference at Del Tech: Environmental responsibility and a sustainable economy do not have to be mutually exclusive.

The Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility, created by the General Assembly in 2007 as a non-profit designed to “foster a sustainable energy future for the state,” has recently launched its “Energize Delaware” program. The program, now in its second month, is a one-stop resource aimed to help Delawareans save money by cutting energy waste and using clean energy sources, such as solar, wind and geothermal.

There’s no requirement to imbibe green beer, absinthe or apple-tinis, but the eco-minded can enjoy some camaraderie and like-minded company at this month’s Green Drinks, to be held at Fish On! in Lewes on Thursday, Nov. 5.

The Citizens Advisory Committee of the Center for the Inland Bays met on Wednesday to discuss their outreach projects and to honor state Sen. George Bunting (D-20th) and Rep. Gerald Hocker (R-38th) for their assistance with House Concurrent Resolution 7, concerning once-through cooling technology for power plants.

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Secretary Collin O’Mara has issued a Secretary’s Order approving construction permits for air pollution control equipment at NRG’s Indian River power plant near Millsboro that officials said will transform the facility from among the 50 dirtiest coal plants in the nation to the one of the cleanest while also providing

The Delaware Bay Oyster Restoration Project, an ongoing effort to revitalize Eastern oysters in Delaware Bay, was honored with a 2008 Coastal America Partnership Award on Oct. 4 during a bayside ceremony held at the University of Delaware’s Coast Day festival in Lewes, Del. The Coastal America Partnership Award is the only environmental award of its kind given by the White House.

In just three years, Flexera, a Delaware-based renewable energy company, has grown from just three engineers to a staff of 26, including employees with expertise in areas ranging from sales and marketing to architecture and engineering to installation. On Monday, Sept. 28, U.S. Sen. Tom Carper visited their Harbeson facility to see, in person, what the excitement is all about.

Good things come to those who wait, and Stephen and Amy Vickers waited more than a year to get their 120-solar-panel system installed at the Seaside Country Store. The process started 18 months ago and, as luck would have it, even planning that far ahead, they just made the cutoff for a 50 percent cost-reduction program offered by the State of Delaware.

State and local officials were on hand recently for a ribbon-cutting on No. 1 energy-rated home in Delaware. The home is Colter Construction’s Allen model in the development of Sandstone, near Milton. Representatives from U.S. Rep. Mike Castle’s office, as well as the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, the Sussex County Council and the Delaware State Housing Authority attended the ribbon-cutting to help celebrate its completion.

Looking for a fun, free and educational way to spend your Sunday? Well, look no further! The University of Delaware’s 33rd Annual Coast Day will be held Sunday, Oct. 4, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.

The 2009 Sustainable Delaware Conference will be held at Clayton Hall Conference Center in Newark, Del., the weekend of Oct. 15-16, with a free public day and expo on Friday, Oct. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Center for the Inland Bays board of directors voted at their quarterly meeting this week to pass a resolution concerning coal-ash mitigation for the Phase I and Delmarva landfills at Indian River Generating Station.

From the inside looking out, it is hard to imagine that the Smart car is only 8.8 feet long, 5.1 feet tall and 5.1 feet wide. The luxurious seats rival that of any Mercedes, and the trunk area isn’t all that different from what’s left in the back of most of seven- or eight- seaters. And, although the federal government’s Car Allowance Rebate System (a.k.a. “Cash for Clunkers”) has come to an end, the Smart car means is not too late to get “smart” when it comes to buying a new vehicle.

Special allowances for wind-energy systems might seem like a no-brainer in an overtly “green” town like Fenwick Island has been in recent years, but town council members paused this week to really delve into the logistics of wind turbines in a residential area.