Schwarzenegger signs two major solar initiatives, vetoes 33% plan

Two initiatives approved by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger late last night could trigger a proliferation of commercial rooftop solar power systems and will require utilities to pay consumers with solar panels for any extra power generated. 

AB 920, which offers incentives to households and businesses to use less electricity than they produce, could prompt customers with solar or wind systems on their properties to become more efficient. Households with children who have recently gone to college or with new energy-efficient appliances can now receive a payment instead of feeding extra electricity back to the grid for free. However, experts said the bill, authored by Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), should not be considered an easy source of profit.

Meanwhile, SB 32 broadens the state’s feed-in tariff program for solar facilities from 1.5 megawatts to 3 megawatts. Written by state Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino), the bill requires commercial solar power producers to be paid a set price above market rate. The model was revolutionized by countries such as Germany. Properties with lots of space but little energy usage, such as warehouses or parking lots, could be encouraged by the new law to build substantial solar installations.

But Schwarzenegger vetoed a slate of bills -- including SB 14 and AB 64 -- that would have required the state to rely on renewable resources for at least one-third of its electricity. The governor has issued an executive order to meet the 33% goal using a different plan, and also supports efforts to create a million solar roofs by 2018.

-- Tiffany Hsu

Updated at 9:09 p.m.: L.A. Times article is now available.

92% of Americans support solar power development, study says

The vast majority -- 92% -- of Americans think it’s important for the country to develop and use solar power, according to a study released today, making the alternative energy option potentially one of the most popular things since puppies or ice cream.

The sentiment was echoed almost evenly across political parties, with 89% of Republicans, 94% of Democrats and 93% of Independents agreeing that solar energy is an important aim.

The 2009 Schott Solar Barometer, conducted by independent polling firm Kelton Research, found that 77% of respondents also believe the federal government should make solar power development a national priority. Nearly half are considering solar power options for their home or business, while 70% of those hope to make the switch in the next five years. Only 3% already use the sun for energy.

If, as president of the U.S., they had to choose one energy source to fund, 43% of respondents would chose solar, followed by the 17% who picked wind, the 12% who settled on natural gas and the 10% who selected nuclear.

And yet only 12% of those polled could say that they were extremely informed about solar power while 74% said they wished they knew more about solar power options.

The study, conducted from Aug. 31 to Sept. 8, was commissioned by German photovoltaic company Schott Solar and the Solar Energy Industries Assn.

-- Tiffany Hsu

Win a month of free electricity by cutting energy consumption

Saving energy could soon be even more profitable for households and businesses through MyEmissionsExchange.com, the website that pays consumers who cut down their energy consumption.

Anyone who can show that they used less electric, natural gas, propane or fuel oil than the same month a year ago will be entered into a sweepstakes that launches today. The utility bills submitted will be adjusted to account for weather variations.

Each week through Nov. 23 a winner will be reimbursed for one month of electricity.

The website, which launched earlier this year, verifies reductions in members’ energy usage with utilities and then certifies the drops as personal carbon credits. The credits are then sold to large companies trying to be eco-friendly, with the proceeds deposited into website members’ PayPal accounts.

Membership on the website is free.

-- Tiffany Hsu

Zipcar expands near UCLA and USC

Driving in Los Angeles, especially around universities, just got a little bit easier.

The city, in partnership with Zipcar, is adding 12 hybrids and SmartWay-rated vehicles to an existing car-sharing program based around UCLA and USC.

Officials hope the expansion helps lower parking problems, congestion and emissions.

Students 18 and over and Los Angeles residents 21 and up can pay $8 an hour or $66 a day during the week, or $9 an hour/$72 a day on weekends, for use of a vehicle.

Members currently receive $50 worth of free driving in their first month.

Reservations can be made a www.zipcar.com/LA. The fee pays for gas, insurance, 180 free miles and 24-hour roadside assistance.

City officials hope to expand the program to the rest of the region.

Six cars each will be added to the 14 vehicles in the Zipcar fleet already at UCLA and the 16 at USC. The schools are among the largest of the 130 campuses that host Zipcar.

Two each will be located at the following locations near the USC campus:

• West 32nd Street and University Avenue
• West 29th Street and Orchard Avenue
• West Adams Boulevard and Portland Street

Two more will be located at these locations near the UCLA campus:

• Roebling and Levering avenues
• Midvale and Rochester avenues
• Strathmore Drive and Landfair Avenue

Free solar energy information sessions from Southern California Edison

Homeowners hoping to go the sunny route can learn about solar energy options for free.
Southern California Edison is offering free informational sessions about the basics and benefits of solar power, how to use tax credits and other tactics to reduce upfront costs and incentives provided by its California Solar Initiative program.

To register for the 90-minute lessons, call (866) 970-9221. Space is limited.

-- Sept. 9 in Yucaipa; 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Yucaipa Community Center at 34900 Oak Glen Road. Co-hosted by the city.

-- Sept. 12 in Lancaster; 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the assembly room of the the SCE’s Antelope Valley Service Center at 42060 10th St. West.

-- Sept. 15 in Santa Monica; 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the second-level multipurpose room at the Santa Monica Public Library at 601 Santa Monica Blvd. Co-hosted by the city.

-- Sept. 24 in Ridgecrest; 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Kerr McGee Community Center at 100 W. California Ave.

-- Sept. 25 in Bishop; 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Bishop Union High School at 301 N. Flower St.

-- Sept. 30 in Fullerton; 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the SCE’s Fullerton Service Center at 1851 W. Valencia Dr.

-- Tiffany Hsu

Wal-Mart unveils ambitious eco-friendly program

If they green it, will we shop?

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. today officially unveiled its widely rumored plan to slap an “eco-rating” on products in its stores. The world’s largest retailer is betting that shoppers will care how green their purchases are -- and maybe even pay more for environmentally friendly merchandise.

The green ratings will take years to show up on the chain’s shelves. In the first phase of its initiative, Wal-Mart will ask suppliers questions about things such as the amount of water used in producing items. The aim is to develop a green index for Wal-Mart products similar to the nutritional label found on the packaging for food products.

“Customers want products that are more efficient, that last longer and perform better,” Wal-Mart Chief Executive Mike Duke said in a statement. “And increasingly they want information about the entire life cycle of a product so they can feel good about buying it. . . . We do not see this as a trend that will fade.”

Experts have said the ambitious program probably will spur suppliers to redesign products to reduce their environmental impact and improve their score. And that could cause broad changes in manufacturing.

Many of Wal-Mart’s suppliers already have taken their own steps to become more eco-friendly.

At Levi Strauss & Co., Michael Kobori, vice president of social and environmental sustainability, said the jeans maker had set water-quality standards for its suppliers and now recommends that its jeans are washed in cold water, as opposed to hot or warm water, to save energy.

Kobori said the San Francisco company was pleased with Wal-Mart’s new initiative and called it the next logical step to improve the industry.

“It sends the right signal to the marketplace and the right signal to the supply chain that sustainability is important,” he said. “We hope it changes the game.”

-- Andrea Chang

Revolution Foods' Lunch Bus tour hits Southern California

Organic snack maker Revolution Foods is giving away free samples of its products in a nationwide "Lunch Bus" tour this summer -- and the bus will be stopping around Southern California starting today and running through the end of the month, the company said in a statement.

In addition to free food, the tour will have contests and games for children and parents as the biodiesel bus stops by public pools, libraries and grocery stores, the company said.

Among the snacks given out by the company, based in Emeryville near Oakland, will be its Jammy Sammy sandwich bars, Mashups squeezable fruit pouches and Pop Alongs whole grain chips.

Here are the details on the Lunch Bus' local tour stops:

• Wednesday, June 10: Whole Foods Market, 6350 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, 3 p.m.

• Saturday, June 13: Malibu Bluffs Park, 24250 Pacific Coast Highway, 3 p.m. to dark.

• Monday, June 15 and Wednesday, June 18: Malibu Community Pool, 30215 Morning View Drive, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Thursday, June 21: Malibu Bluffs Park, 24250 Pacific Coast Highway, 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

• Monday, June 29 and Tuesday, June 30: Malibu Community Pool, 30215 Morning View Drive, 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Friday, June 26: Whole Foods Market, 11666 National Blvd., Los Angeles, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Saturday, June 27: Whole Foods Market, 3751 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles

Where the jobs are, green edition

Green jobs are growing like, well, weeds, analysts tell us. If you want to know what these jobs are and where they can be found in California, visit a new mapping website from the Environmental Defense Fund.

The site allows you to search for companies that do things such as retrofit homes for energy efficiency, manufacture parts for renewable energy systems, build electric cars or process advanced fuels.

Web surfers can search for companies by city, county or -- strangely enough -- congressional district. Not so strange, according to Margot Roosevelt of our sister blog, Greenspace.

Why congressional district? Well, that would be so constituents could tell their representatives how much green business is at stake when they decide how to vote on American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, the sweeping legislation that seeks to control global warming emissions while creating green jobs. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), is expected to reach the floor of the House of Representatives by July 4.

Click on the congressional district of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Orange) for instance, and one can count more than 40 green businesses, including Catalina Solar & Wind in Avalon, Clean Energy Fuels Corp. in Seal Beach, and Doran Electric Vehicles in Huntington Beach.

This would be the same Congressman Rohrabacher who sent out a press release this week calling climate legislation "The Biggest Power Grab in History" and touting himself as "among Congress' most outspoken opponents of global warming alarmism."

The enviromental group says the site is a "work in progress," with new companies joining the roughly 2,200 counted so far.

Los Angeles County is tops with 398 green businesses. San Diego and Orange counties are neck-and-neck for the No. 2 spot with 208 and 202, respectively.

--Nancy Rivera Brooks

Photo: Jose Ledesma of REC Solar installs solar panels on the roof of a Los Angeles home in May. Credit: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

Earth Day freebies, deals and sweepstakes

Seeing that it's Earth Day and all, retailers and manufacturers are looking to boost their green cred.

In addition to the deals we've already told you about (Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market's canvas bag giveaway; Home Depot's compact fluorescent lightbulb handout; Disney stores' mysterious gift), you can get a mail-in rebate for up to $3.99 for Reynolds Wrap foil made from recycled aluminum. Click on "get a free roll" at the company's recycled foil website. The offer expires today but the foil can be purchased until May 4 and the rebate form must be sent in by May 30.

At Macy's, the first 150 kids to visit each store's childrens clothing department today will get an activity book teaching fun ways to keep the planet healthy. Macy's also is selling a reusable tote for $1.95, with $1 from each sto the National Park Foundation, which cares for the nation's 400 national parks. On Saturday, Macy's stores and website are discounting some merchandise by 10% to 20% for those who purchase a $5 "Good Turn" ticket, the proceeds of which will be donated to the National Park Foundation. That $5 will be rebated if the customer spends $15 or more in the store.

The California Energy Commission launched a contest today to test Californians' knowledge of solar energy and energy efficiency. Participants can enter to win a green home makeover and other prizes. The sweepstakes runs until Oct. 31 at GoSolarCalifornia.org. Last year, the sweepstakes attracted 17,000 entries. The winner got a 2009 hybrid car.

For the really dedicated, a big solar-panel installer called SolarCity is discounting the price of putting a 4-kilowatt system on your house. The cost of $4,000, which is good until May 31, represents a 10% to 15% discount on the company's usual installation costs. The system would be big enough to offset about half the electricity usage of a typical three-bedroom home in the Los Angeles area, says the company, which operates in California, Arizona and Oregon. The discount began in March and has been extended to May 31. SolarCity says the discount plus a California rebate ($5,500) and a federal tax credit ($9,000)  could reduce the cost of a typical 4-kilowatt solar system to $15,500 from $34,000.

-- Nancy Rivera Brooks

Photo: Maui's Earth Day celebration logo. Credit: MauiEarthDay.org

Whole Foods Market switching to new forest-friendly recycled bags

When it comes to going green, Whole Foods says it has it in the bag.

Under an agreement between Whole Foods Market and the Forest Stewardship Council, recycled paper used to make the grocer's shopping bags will be tracked both coming and going. Starting in May, Whole Foods will be the first national grocer to offer paper shopping bags that are certified by the council as made of 100% post-consumer recycled material, the company announced today in a statement.

Paper used to make Whole Foods' new bags will be made of previously recycled paper fibers such as corrugated boxes that were already used for food products, the company said.

While many stores offer recycled paper bags, Whole Foods is the first to form an alliance with the Forest Stewardship Council, an international nonprofit group that certifies the environmental-friendliness of recycled products and promotes forest conservation.

In other words, you not only have to worry about making the right paper-versus-plastic choice, you have to worry about how green your recycled paper is.

The new recycled bags won't change Whole Foods' policy of offering a refund of 5 or 10 cents (depending on the store) to  customers receipts' for those who bring their own bags, and the grocer still encourages people to choose reusable canvas or burlap over paper or plastic, the company said.

-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles