Jim Carrey is one of my all-time favorite comedians. I love this video of him, poking fun at environmental issues and advocates. I admittedly resemble some of these scenes, but it’s also pretty easy for me to laugh at myself. Enjoy!

Last Thursday,  Payette County’s Planning & Zoning Commission held a hearing for the approval of  a Conditional Use Permit for a fracking company, Bridge Energy.  The permit would authorize placement of a natural gas compression/dehydration plant for fracking byproducts, to be plopped right in the middle of some prime agriculture land in Payette County, Idaho.
Despite the fact, that the proposed plant processes the fluid and gas byproducts from a fracking operation, the audience was immediately instructed that the issue before the P & Z Commission was only related to a …

The Idaho Energy Collaborative is presenting a  Living Energy Festival on Sunday, July 10th at the Shangri-la Tea Room and Cafe Lawn from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
This free event is offering an energy festival, workshops on renewable energy and energy efficiency, and live music. And, if you visit every booth before 3:00 pm, there will be raffle prizes to win!
Some of the businesses and organizations that you can expect to see:
Green Works Idaho, Snake River Alliance, Idaho Conservation League, Renewable Energy NW, Sustainable Community Connections, Treasure Valley Food Coalition, …

For their second year, Oregon Rural Action and Solar Oregon are hosting a ‘Going Solar’ fair in La Grande, Oregon. It is a 2-day event, being held on June 18 & 19, 2011.
This is a great opportunity for people in Eastern Oregon and even Western Idaho, to glean some great information about solar technology and get an up close look at it also.
The Solar Fair information is listed on Oregon Rural Action and Solar Oregon’s websites. A list of the activities are listed below:
* The Basics of Going Solar Workshop …

On the 26th of March at 8:30pm (your local time), Earth Hour will sweep around the globe as people switch off their lights and celebrate a worldwide commitment to protect our planet.
This year, when the lights go back on, please think about what you can do beyond the hour to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Q. How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None—the light bulb has to want to change.
A very easy way to save money is by reducing your utility expenses. There are some simple do-it-yourself fixes that you can implement right away in your home or business.
The first one requires no special skills, other than being able to screw in a light bulb. Compact Fluorescent Lamp(s), more commonly known as CFL’s, are a huge energy and money saver.
Five to 10 percent of your residential energy bill goes to …

Even though Winter “officially”  began last week, we all know that the “winter-like” conditions have been around for well over a month. And this week, many portions of the country are fighting some serious arctic blast, cold conditions.
There are some very easy and low, to no-cost, actions that anyone can do in defense from the cold, blistery weather penetrating their home. I’m going to share 5 easy ones here with you now:
1) Caulking and weather-stripping are huge factors in helping keep the cold out. The US Dept of Energy estimates …

I just learned today about an upcoming renewable energy summit coming to the Treasure Valley in January 2011. And, am I stoked !! January 27th and 28th,  TVCC and several energy organizations are hosting this renewable energy summit at the Ontario Readiness Center, (new National Guard Armory), in Ontario, Oregon.
It is everyone’s responsibility, from the single apartment dweller to large corporations, to find more efficient ways to consume energy. Whether you believe in global warming or not, it’s no secret that our natural resources are dwindling and/or causing damage to …

Saving energy is not only good for our pocketbook, but also is good for our planet. There are often easy, low-cost ways to cut your home or business energy usage, but sometimes we just don’t know where to start.
This week, residents living in the Malheur/Payette County area have the opportunity to attend a workshop on Wednesday, December 8, 2010. Energy Trust of Oregon and Cascade Natural Gas are hosting a no-cost workshop at Ontario City Hall from 6:00 to 8:30 pm.
The workshop will be led by an energy expert, and …

My friend, Houston Neal, over at Software Advice shared some seriously good information with me recently. Not only is this good for the planet, but it’s rebate money for you by making your home more energy efficient.
The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 is on its way. Commonly known as “cash for caulkers,” this bill has been approved in the House of Representatives and now awaits final approval by the Senate.
This is great news for homeowners and contractors. The bill provisions $6 billion for energy-efficient retrofits; it will support …