Comments millercs has made

Ed's impact on his community

Living about a mile away from my home, I have met and broken bread with Ed several times. He walks the talk with a long stride and a sense of purpose. His habits have affected life in our community in many ways. Priuses now dot the landscape. His daughter goes to the local public elementary and when I jog in the morning I see a stream of parents walking their kids to school - no doubt emulating Ed.

You can indeed catch him hawking his Begley's Best Cleaner at the local Farmer's Market. I've also seen him make speeches at green events like the recent Alt Car Expo in Santa Monica and a "World Without Oil" rally at the local Unitarian Church.

He'll tell you that he is a staunch believer in nuclear power - so long as it remains 93 million miles away. More seriously, he'll tell you he is interested in solutions, not procrastination.

One of my blog articles included a letter that Ed wrote advocating conversion technologies regulatory reform also supported by Los Angeles City and County utilities interested in diverting waste from landfills. Strangely enough, California's Against Waste and the California Assembly Natural Resources Committee ignored this stand and the legislation did not pass - delaying permitting of needed facilities in California.

But knowing Ed backed it sure made me feel like I was on the side of the angels. On A new reality series reveals what it's like living with eco-celeb Ed Begley Jr. posted 2 years, 11 months ago 7 Responses

BIO Blogs

There are 4 BIO blogs relevant to biomass conversion to biofuels -

BIOstock - an exploration of the broad range of biomass feedstock for conversion to biofuels.

BIOconversion - clean conversion technology processes and the struggle in California to deploy them.

BIOoutput - biofuels, electricity, bioplastics, green chemicals - with reference to new vehicles to run them.

BIOpact - consortium between European nations to promote the development of Southern Hemisphere countries' industry in biostock and bioconversion - to build their economy and energy self-reliance.On A handy biofuels glossary, and videos to boot posted 2 years, 11 months ago 5 Responses

Waste as feedstock for Cellulosic Ethanol

It is unbelieveable to me that conversion technologies (CTs) - like gasification, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion - were totally missing from your articles about biofuels. The feedstock - municipal solid waste that is not otherwise recycleable.

Using CTs we can cleanly produce significant quantities of biofuels and green chemicals, while cogenerating electricity. At the same time we will be reducing our need for landfills - which will reduce ghg and a major source of ground and air pollution.

This is happening. CTs already exist in Japan and Europe. Los Angeles has passed a comprehensive 20-year plan called "RENEW L.A." that will utilize CTs to cleanly convert 75-85% of its waste that is not currently being recycled into green electricity and biofuels. L.A.'s Public Works and Sanitation utilities are already developing outreach programs and RFPs for construction of facilities.

Forget all the drawbacks of cultivating feedstock - let's extend our recycling efforts by using CTs. Doing so will reduce urban blight significantly.

CTs can also be used to convert agricultural and forestry waste.On The top 10 reasons to give a hoot about biofuels posted 2 years, 11 months ago 6 Responses

Waste as feedstock for Cellulosic Ethanol

It is unbelieveable to me that conversion technologies (CTs) - like gasification, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion - were totally missing from your articles about biofuels. The feedstock - municipal solid waste that is not otherwise recycleable.

Using CTs we can cleanly produce significant quantities of biofuels and green chemicals, while cogenerating electricity. At the same time we will be reducing our need for landfills - which will reduce ghg and a major source of ground and air pollution.

This is happening. CTs already exist in Japan and Europe. Los Angeles has passed a comprehensive 20-year plan called "RENEW L.A." that will utilize CTs to cleanly convert 75-85% of its waste that is not currently being recycled into green electricity and biofuels. L.A.'s Public Works and Sanitation utilities are already developing outreach programs and RFPs for construction of facilities.

Forget all the drawbacks of cultivating feedstock - let's extend our recycling efforts by using CTs. Doing so will reduce urban blight significantly.

CTs can also be used to convert agricultural and forestry waste.On How a grassroots biodiesel group can show the way for others posted 2 years, 11 months ago 6 Responses

Regulatory Reform for Environmental Justice

In Los Angeles there is biofuels production plan that would provide environmental justice in waste management. It would spread new jobs that are currently located in an affluent area to seven different sites throughout the county. The plan is called RENEW L.A. and it is revolutionary in its concept and positive impact on environmental justice and quality of life.

Problem is that the plan cannot be deployed until regulatory control and permitting rules are changed in Sacramento. This plan, which would expand recycling and divert huge amounts of unrecyclable material waste toward the clean production of biofuels and electricity, has been blocked by Californians Against Waste (CAW) - the entrenched recycling establishment of California. They have no earthly reason to obstruct positive programs like RENEW L.A.

Anyone who can help convince CAW to support the regulatory changes that need to be made will be helping L.A. achieve some environmental justice - along with cleaner air, less dependence on landfills, green electricity generation, and production of biofuels.On An interview with Greasecar founder Justin Carven posted 2 years, 11 months ago 12 Responses

Regulatory Reform for Environmental Justice

In Los Angeles there is biofuels production plan that would provide environmental justice in waste management. It would spread new jobs that are currently located in an affluent area to seven different sites throughout the county. The plan is called RENEW L.A. and it is revolutionary in its concept and positive impact on environmental justice and quality of life.

Problem is that the plan cannot be deployed until regulatory control and permitting rules are changed in Sacramento. This plan, which would expand recycling and divert huge amounts of unrecyclable material waste toward the clean production of biofuels and electricity, has been blocked by Californians Against Waste (CAW) - the entrenched recycling establishment of California. They have no earthly reason to obstruct positive programs like RENEW L.A.

Anyone who can help convince CAW to support the regulatory changes that need to be made will be helping L.A. achieve some environmental justice - along with cleaner air, less dependence on landfills, green electricity generation, and production of biofuels.On An environmental-justice advocate responds to the biofuels boom posted 2 years, 11 months ago 12 Responses

Making Biofuels Work

My problem with Pimental is that he takes the present and says why it doesn't work rather than look at it as a challenge and say how can we make it work. Giving in to the status quo is no answer and conservation isn't enough.

I lived in Ithaca, too, for 6 years and I understand the Luddite mentality of the place but that is no excuse for an Ag School scientist to put the skids to every attempt at progress to an industry that, up to now, has been a godsend to so many farmers.

According to renown business and national security advocate James Woolsey switching to biofuels like cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel represent the fastest way out of the fossil fuel paradigm. Because our national security and environmental health is depending on successful deployment, how can we make it work?

Cellulosic ethanol can be made from (negative cost) waste using syngas fermentation. Using gasification to break the lignin bonds is much more efficient than enzymatic hydrolysis Pimental talks about and uses very little water. BRI has a good description of the syngas process. It has been proven in the lab and plans for commercial-scale development should be finalized soon. It would be interesting to hear how the esteemed insect doctor from Cornell would argue the results of the work of the biotechnology chemical engineer from the U. of Arkansas.

I lament the absence of a national conservation campaign as much as Pimental. But the campaign would have to be global to have much meaning - and Asia has too much invested in industrialization to make conservation here worth anything.On Three perspectives on the biofuels debate posted 2 years, 11 months ago 18 Responses

Making Biofuels Work

My problem with Pimental is that he takes the present and says why it doesn't work rather than look at it as a challenge and say how can we make it work. Giving in to the status quo is no answer and conservation isn't enough.

I lived in Ithaca, too, for 6 years and I understand the Luddite mentality of the place but that is no excuse for an Ag School scientist to put the skids to every attempt at progress to an industry that, up to now, has been a godsend to so many farmers.

According to renown business and national security advocate James Woolsey switching to biofuels like cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel represent the fastest way out of the fossil fuel paradigm. Because our national security and environmental health is depending on successful deployment, how can we make it work?

Cellulosic ethanol can be made from (negative cost) waste using syngas fermentation. Using gasification to break the lignin bonds is much more efficient than enzymatic hydrolysis Pimental talks about and uses very little water. BRI has a good description of the syngas process. It has been proven in the lab and plans for commercial-scale development should be finalized soon. It would be interesting to hear how the esteemed insect doctor from Cornell would argue the results of the work of the biotechnology chemical engineer from the U. of Arkansas.

I lament the absence of a national conservation campaign as much as Pimental. But the campaign would have to be global to have much meaning - and Asia has too much invested in industrialization to make conservation here worth anything.On An interview with David Pimentel posted 2 years, 11 months ago 18 Responses