While LEED Platinum is tough to meet for any project, while even just attaining LEED Gold is also not too easy of a task.  Initial LEED meetings are showing that the PLaK House Project (Renderings Below) will be at the least LEED Gold, and who knows, if everything works out, maybe it can achieve LEED Platinum.  We are certainly going to try, especially if the project can use a Rammed Earth Wall System, there might be enough points gained to reach the lofty Platinum level!

While there are not many LEED Platinum homes in the L.A. City yet, we hope that this will be attainable with the given budget constraints.  This could be that innovative solution that will show what our team can do, and help put us "on the map". 

Keep your eyes peeled to this Green Blog page with more progress reports as things are moving forward!

Tell Grandma in Germany that she can NO LONGER ship presents to the U.S.!

Yup, you heard right!  Tell your relatives from "the old country" to forget shipping anything OVER a Pound (453 grams) in weight to the U.S. from now on!

The Japan Times and other sources in Japan report that on Wednesday, 11/17/10, that the TSA announced that U.S. bound mail will no longer be accepted from residents of foreign countries or ex-pats living abroad, that weighs MORE than 453 grams, or 1 pound!  The
No more of these from loving grandparents!   Japan Post was quoted as saying that roughly 15% of their mail, or
                                                                  200,000 pieces, will be affected on a monthly basis.




Obama's trying to KILL-OFF Christmas, Family Traditions and Family Values!

Think of all of the people that send Christmas care packages across country boundaries that will not be able to do so this year, and forever more; -if this policy is not reversed!  "We look forward to obachan's (Japanese for: Grandma) package every year at Christmas time!" said my son, Marcus, 8 years old.  These "Care-Packages" go a long way to keeping family ties together and strong, even though they are many miles apart, and in many cases, across an ocean.  My Oma & Opa (German for: Grandma & Grandpa) had sent Christmas and birthday packages for years!  I even got packages when I was in Japan as a volunteer missionary for my Church, from them!  -But, according to Obama's TSA, -it's a thing of the past! 

Were the two "printer-bombs" another "false-flag" operation to get the gullible masses to huddle in fear and give away MORE Freedoms?  Was that the "reasoning" behind these new rules?

I'm sorry, but that was just too fishy for me.  I can't prove a thing, but, have they proven anything on those bombs yet?  In court?  If it's just on TV, -FORGET IT!  I won't accept that as "proven fact"!  (Go and rent the movie: "Wag the Dog" to be enlightened!)  So they haven't proven anything yet, nether!  You mean to tell me that UPS and other freight carriers don't protect their multi-million dollar jets and logistical systems from the threat of bombs?  I really find it hard to believe that they don't do so already, BEFORE this last printer bomb incident.  To say that it was "undetectable" says one thing about the anti-terror system though: If this heightened security is working so well, why'd it get through?  Again, (See my previous Blog Entry!) it'll thwart "stupid terrorists", but not the smarter ones.  -This is another grab at our Constitutional Freedoms; all through an un-winnable war on terror, since there is no tangible enemy!  (See Aaron Russo Interview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nD7dbkkBIA -and here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1584595362217609102#docid=-3254488777215293198)

There is another big issue though...

Why are they NOT announcing this here in the U.S.?  Why do our news services have to pull it from FOREIGN SOURCES?

The PR backlash this should create for this administration is not what they want, right?  Why else hide this from the American people?  The country is going down the drain, quite literally. 

Further Contempt towards the Citizens of this Country
The FDA is also trying to get ALL of our food PROCESSED!  (No more "Organic" growers!)  Everything must be processed, so that they can add in crap to make us sick, basically!  (Why do you think certain EU countries BAN various American food products?)

What the heck is going on here in this Country?
I am very tempted to move to Japan again, as at the least, I can get organic food from a farmer that is revered, although protected by the government there, albeit to the detriment of foreign competition.  But at least farmers can sell their products in a marketplace without much if any hindrance.  -Or, I'll have to go and grow it myself, just like one of my brothers is planning to do already.

I'm angered over these new developments and they need to be stopped!
Are you as mad as I am about the whole situation with the: TSA, Patriot Act not getting repealed, our beloved Constitution just getting trampled on over and over again on a daily basis now?!!! 

Jeffersonian thoughts cross my mind, and bolster my resolve to do something about it, in a peaceful way.  The Tea Party movement is a good start.  It is a good thing that the Tea Party Groups have NO affiliation with neither of the parties that have proven time and time again that they do not serve: "We The People", but do serve: "They, The Power-Brokers"!

                             More "Change" is needed!  This election was just the start!

There are a few good stories on the current TSA’s unconstitutional procedures that show that there is concern over the machines and how they could sicken our populace; especially seniors, young boys and women.

Take a  look at this article:
http://gizmodo.com/5692198/a-tsa-success-story
And this one…
http://gizmodo.com/5690749/

Read more below.  It'll get your blood boiling!

As if the lines weren't bad enough.  Now they
REALLY do want to GROPE women and children
or expose them to dangerous levels of direct to the
skin radiation; giving cancer to most and preventing
our sons from having kids in the future!  READ ON!

This is a plot to get the populace SICK and die earlier!

Then there's more!  Take a look at this article, too:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/nov/17/tsa-patdowns-scanner

The TSA’s NEW procedure for (nude) X-raying us, or full on groping of all, (women and children, too!) –IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND DOWNRIGHT WRONG!!!

We all know it doesn’t help a ---d a r n--- thing regarding catching Osama and his cohorts, too!  I’m sure there are ways to get around it, too!  It’s just a plot to get us all exposed to x-rays to get us sick so more of us die off to cancer, instead of opting for the alternative, the: “LEGAL GROPING OF OUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN, -AND MEN TOO!"

No other country demands this of its Citizenry -OR- Guests! 

Other countries are complaining about our ludicrous precautions that everyone knows really don’t help much.  Sure it’ll stop a “stupid terrorist”, but I’d be stupid to believe that this would really deter a smart terrorist from doing what they really wanted to on a plane.  It makes it harder, yes, BUT not impossible.  The FBI should already pretty much know WHO they are watching.  There is a “No-Fly” list, right?  There also has to be a “Control List” to match that they compare off of, right?  The “No Fly List” itself is a joke!  How can they detain one if there has not been any crime committed?  This is not “Guilty until proven innocent”!!!  It is so very Unconstitutional !!!

ACCORDING TO THE BLOG LINK I SENT IN THIS E-MAIL, THERE IS AN OVERSIGHT MEETING IN CONGRESS TOMORROW.  CLICK ON THE LINK AND THERE ARE OTHER LINKS TO FIND YOUR APPROPRIATE LEGISLATOR THAT YOU SHOULD CONTACT AND LET THEM KNOW THAT: "WE WON’T PUT UP WITH THIS CRAP ANY LONGER!!!"

For convenience sake, here is the UCSF paper from X-Ray experts saying that the full-body scans are detrimental to the health of most people!!!  Imagine your sons NOT being able to have kids!!!  “…is at risk for sperm mutagenesis.”  Our women having MORE cases of Breast Cancer!  Our 65 and older population being given MORE chances of getting Cancer!

See the UCSF paper here:
http://j.mp/cancer-ray

Are you not SHOCKED and ANGRY like I am?!!!

I have already called Barbara Boxer’s office and left a message saying to get rid of these procedures!  United, our voices can bring change to the federal government that has run a muck!!! 

Please look up your legislator and “let them have it” on this issue!  It’s trampling our constitution, AND it sure seems like they’re trying to kill us off, -one way or another!

Sincerely, -a Fellow Patriot, Father, Son and Friend,

Michael

The Giants won the World Series and my two older boys and I went down to City Hall, next to the Bill Graham Auditorium to see the Victory Parade. 
Was it crowded!  Marcus and Max at first were overwhelmed but we made it past the crowds to a spot where we could see a little bit.  I think it was important for the boys to experience that together with me.  This might not happen again in our lifetime, looking at the previous track record of the Giants!

It was fun to go and experience, but we did return home before the speeches, as I didn't want the boys to get caught in the mad push once this thing was over. 

Otherwise, it made for a fun event.  I am not sure if there was any green content to this whole shin-dig, but there was a lot of ORANGE and a lot of community spirit!  A lot of people where high-5-ing just about anyone with an SF logo or Giants logo on them!  - We actually saw an "A's" fan in a car driving a block off of Van Ness and did they get heckled!  Check out the video we put together of the celebration. 

Repeat!  Repeat!  Repeat!

San Francisco Giants - World Champions!

p.s. - Please e-mail me if you would like to have a FREE ringtone of the Giants "Bye Bye Baby!" fight song!

YEAH!!! 
The Giants are in the World Series!  Only the 4th appearance (1962, 1989, 2002 and 2010) by the team since moving to San Francisco from New York, over 50 years ago. 

Is Baseball "Green"?  Or at the least, how green is it?

I've thought about this a few times over the last few years, as we have heard about new stadiums going up that promote various green principles.  But is baseball really green and how does it stack up to sepia baseball of yesteryear?

Years ago baseball used to draft players from their own protected regions, and players played for one team until they decided, or were forced to, retire.  Of course, we all know about the free agency movement that has transformed sports and affected other aspects of society.  Was the old draft greener than the modern one?  Was baseball greener before free-agency?  How about just stacking it up against other modern, multi-billion dollar industries? 

As a whole, I would have to surmise that it is not greener now, because the MLB uses jets over long distances to get the players to parks in the far corners of the country.  Chemicals are used on the grounds to keep them looking pristine.  (One little known fact about the dirt at AT&T Park is that they use crushed up bricks to obtain the "International Orange" effect in the color; as this is the official color of the Golden Gate Bridge, too!  Thus the "Orange" in the Team Colors, too.)  Another reason is that teams played more local or regional games, since there were fewer teams to play against.  -Even once the Giants and Dodgers moved out West, there were not as many teams and games played as there are in the game today. 

Score Green points for the Old School!

However, the buses used today surely must be more energy efficient than the ones used "back in the day", when they do use them.

Score a Green point for the New School.

Let's take a better look at the whole picture, though.  What areas can we look at?  Well, how about:

-Transportation
-Stadiums
-Grounds & Grass
-Facility
-Player Health (Mentally & Physically)
-Equipment
-Foods
-League/Team Operations
-Energy Consumption

This is just going to be a simple observation on each area, as to research out the numbers would mean I need to get paid to do this, first! (LOL!)

So here we go!

First, TRANSPORTATION:

I would have to give the nod to New School, as modern buses are cleaner burning, as are newer planes.  In fact many airlines are switching over their regional jets to more efficient turbo-props in order to see 30-40% increases in fuel economy, and lower pollution outputs.  The cars that the players, managers, owners, fans and others drive to the games are much more efficient than the cars driven in the sepia era.  Mass transit systems are better today. 

Green Points: New School - 4, Old School - 2

Next, STADIUMS:

The materials used in older stadiums was most likely sourced more from local suppliers, as that was the way things were done.  The advent of the global economy brought international suppliers to projects and local suppliers could not compete and went out of business.  The local economy was sustained by sepia era ballpark construction.  However, newer stadiums use recycled materials that old school parks would have never considered, nor could they have done so, in many cases.  Some stadiums utilize low-flow toilets and there are some that use no-flow toilets that mean 10's of thousands of gallons of saved a season, per facility.  Lighting is much more efficient and effective. 

Green Points: New School - 4, Old School - 2

How about GROUNDS & GRASS:

While the field and grass is pretty much the same, the chemicals used today on some fields, and for the last 40-50 years has got to be a bad thing.  However, I really wonder how they managed fields 60, 80 and 100+ years ago!  I am willing to bet that they didn't have much in the way of weed killers to work with back then!  Therefore, I would lean towards giving the Old school these points.  The only thing that current grounds take into consideration is better water management, -maybe.

Green Points: Old School - 4, New School - 1

Then there's the FACILITY:

While the Old School parks have a sense of romance associated with the game, the facilities were not as sensitive to various fan needs, or to ballplayer's needs.  The New School facilities are designed with so many more variables taken into account that there is almost no comparison.  While Fenway Park attendees might beg to differ, I know "The 'Stick" (Candlestick Park, the Giants old stadium in S.F. that I grew up going to!) had much to desire.  The only thing it had going for it were the memories made there for me, my family and the teams.  (Like the time a pitcher was blown off the mound from a windy fog!  I was there!)

Green Points: New School - 3, Old School - 1

Now let's not forget: PLAYER'S HEALTH:

Just like the last subject, I think this too is an apples to oranges comparison, -almost.  While players are stronger, faster and maybe quicker, basic skills are lacking.  Old School didn't have the Steroids problem we have dealt with for the last 30 years.  Willie Mays take designer drugs to bulk and power up?  UNTHINKABLE!  -And we all know that didn't happen!  Much as I love Barry Bonds, it just doesn't look good for his case.  So while we DO have vitamins and training that definitely aids in player performance, we also have steroids hanging over the game.  Therefore I must vent my frustration!

Green Points: New School - 1, Old School - 1  (All-Star Game Tie!)

Along with the players is their EQUIPMENT:

The New School has long had rumors of "Juice Ball", and then Maple Bats, better shoes, better performing uni's.  The gloves are better made, as well.  Better training equipment and better protection means safer play with fewer injuries.  The only draw back the New School has had was "Astro-Turf", even though it was a truly "greener" solution, if we are strictly talking Nature.  But, as in all things with life, "How does it perform?" is the question not many people ask.  -Especially regarding buildings.  (See other articles about Green Building below in this blog!)  The Old school had some interesting objects to deal with, too!  The rumor of the "Dead-ball" where hitters couldn't hit, and pitchers had the upper hand, literally, with a higher pitcher's mound, gave the old school some clout, too.  Therefore, I have to give this one to the New School, but not by much.

Green Points: New School - 3, Old School - 2

Okay, next on deck is Food:

While food made available at the parks around the country has changed over the years,with the traditional treats being excluded, I'd have to say that the foods are worse today than in the Sepia Era.  Why?  The foods are all engineered with a lot of fats in them, and things like Nachos oozing with cheese all over them were just not part of the game, nor a regular diet when I was a kid.  I know my dad and grandfather never had nachos at the old Tiger Stadium or the L.A. Colosseum.  The first time I had some at a ballpark were at an A's game in Oakland, when I was in college.  The foods come from the cheapest sources and from all over the world.  Old School parks only had locally sourced items on the menu, for the most part; and most were not too highly processed neither.  Plus, we didn't have to pay through the nose to get them, like we do for our current food concessions!  8 bucks for a big soda?  Highway Robbery!  To me, this is a 3-hit shutout!  (Now, if we had certified organic consessions available at decent prices, it would be a race!)

Green Points: Old School - 3, New School - 0

Next, League/Team Operations:

While "things were simpler" in the Old School days, it definitely was not fairer to everyone else involved.  Free Agency has seen to that, though.  However, on all  other issues, the business performs at a much better level then it did years ago.  Years ago, even if you were a specimen to be reckoned with, you still might not have been in the Bigs.  Nowadays, it's hard for anyone to not get found out all the way down in the high-school level.  Sure this is largely attributed to the inter-connectivity in multi-media mass communications that make up our modern world.  But, one must still USE it to take advantage of it.  MLB definitely does that, as do all major sports in our great country.  So this is a blow-out for the New School.  How does this affect Green Points?  The effective utilization of mass communication has lowered the amount of raw materials used to accomplish the same objectives.  Could you imagine the mountain of paper it would have taken to do the same thing?

Green Points: New School - 5, Old School - 0

Last on my list we have Energy Consumption:

Of course, they used less energy at a game then they do now.  Hand-run scoreboards, more day-games, smaller venues, fewer teams, fewer plane and bus trips, etc.  So even though our New School game takes various energy saving precautions, the scale of the game is so much larger now, and the way the game interacts with the fans, viewers, and the community... -It's inevitable that they use more energy to bring us the national pastime.  Something tells me that at smaller minor league venues there are opportunities for more passive solar lighting uses in the ballpark design, because the scale is smaller.  I wonder if it is possible for minor league teams to also have more day games.  Are they that dependent like their MLB big-show brothers on night game revenue that they can't adopt a more energy efficient game?  The big league games, I am sure need the big lights to make good money for each club.  However, the A through AAA teams might not need it as much, is my hunch.  So I'm going to say the Old School used less energy, simply because of scale.

Green Points: Old School - 3, New School - 1

Certainly though, the modern game has some benefits over the old game.  The players make more green money!  A natural greening affect of the movement of players to the Yankees has kept money flowing to the other teams.  (How about their total disregard for the salary cap?!!!) 

So, let's tally up the score and see who wins the "Green World Series"!

(This was done in a a very old school, "9-game format"!!!) 

Green Points: New School - 5, Old School - 3, Tie -1

While the New School Wins, the Old School did some things right, too.  What do you think?

S.F. Fleet Week from our Roof Top!  Not "Go Green", but if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have the freedoms we enjoy to promote the Green Movement!  So, in a sense, this is too, "Go Green", even though these are the "Blue Angels"! 

West Cast Green (WCG) was interesting, as usual, but I didn't see too many "this will revolutionize the AEC!" products.  Sure, there were solar companies, and a few other related firms, the recycled wood and the FSC Certified wood people.  The only product that really caught my attention was the Straw-Board product.  If this really goes into production here, gains an ICC number and an LARR number, then it has a chance of getting some traction and who knows, possible adoption in the marketplace.

The strawboard product put out by Strawmit USA, is another idea I think is ripe for the time.  Will the "powers that be" allow it to get through the ICC and LARR processes so that it can be used in new construction projects?  So far, I know of TWO companies that have a far superior impact-product that is finding the going tough when trying to get through the ICC/LARR MESS!  Makes me think there are palms being greased, friends/connections livelihoods being artificially propped up, all to stave off new technology being brought into this STALE, OLD industry, -The AEC.

We cannot have TRUE revolution in the Green Materials market unless there are those in these "stamping" positions that will allow NEW technology to be brought to market.  I know of one ICF maker who told me that it took 10 years to get the approval from both ICC and LARR, -9 YEARS AFTER THE TESTING WAS ALL COMPLETED!!!  I hope that these new materials can have a "green fast-track" applied to them, as other entities do.  But there is no such fast-track to apply for even.  They say there is, but that's not my observation.  What do the ICC and the LARR entities have to lose by wasting so much time?  Nothing!  Therefore, there has to be some ulterior motive type scenario(s) being played out.  Nothing else explains it.  Some jurisdictions will allow such new products to be used, even without testing to be done, as long as the Engineer of Record and the City Engineer will sign off on it.  Which should be good enough for most products.  However, here in California, where we need to worry about earthquakes, some of the excuses given are earthquake related, -is possibly why it takes so long.  So it takes time to do those extra steps for earthquake related verifications.  However, 10 years?  I do not think so!

So, will revolutionary products shown at WCG this last week, ever make it to the light of day and to be used in a project?  I would like to hope so, but will that happen anytime soon is only the ICC/LARR's guess!

The Strawmit USA product was the only one that I saw that was a REAL possible game changer, though.  Sure there were others, even with a commercial application for a solar thermal solution, but only that one stood out.  I am anxious to get its' performance numbers to see what it is really capable of.  I could see them being used as an exterior and interior and ceiling, solution.  My impression was that it is not a structural member, but can be used to replace the wall portion of the envelope, for both the interior and exterior.  At this point, it's hard to tell just what it can actually.do.  More on this as I get information.

Well, we have the Fleet Week Air Show practicing above the City today, and it should be fun!