Please join us for our last Sustainability Series discussion on Green Driving in the Tetons. Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition Executive Director, Phil Cameron, will present about the types of alternative fuels currently available in Teton County, the types of alternative vehicles available in Teton County and how various driving techniques can save you money and green house gas emissions.

As always, the presentations will be followed by Q&A. Please bring ideas, questions and an interested mind to this engaging event. We can’t wait to see you all there! Refreshments generously provided by Jackson Whole Grocer. Complimentary cell phone, battery and bear spray recycling.

This series is made possible through the generous support of 1% for the Tetons and is brought to you by the Yellowstone Teton Clean Energy Coalition with partners: Teton County Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling and the Jackson Hole Energy Sustainability Project. We hope to see you there!

What is zero waste? Fifteen years ago you might not have found an answer to that question. Today, a Google search will yield more than 40 millions results. On February 21, a crowd gathered in Jackson’s Home Ranch Exhibit Hall to learn more about how to reach zero waste. Eric Lombardi, the Executive Director of Eco-Cycle since 1989, traveled from Boulder, Colorado to present.

Zero waste means that 90 percent of waste is recovered through recycling and composting. The remaining 10 percent is processed and stabilized before heading to a landfill. Lombardi was quick to point out that zero waste is not zero landfill. Waste to energy plants can greatly reduce landfill waste, but they produce emissions worse than those from coal burning power plants. Furthermore, they actually encourage production of waste, their feedstock, to justify the high cost of the facilities.

Lombardi defines zero waste as “a social issue first, and a market issue second”.

From a market standpoint, zero waste is a way to cash in on the $11 billion worth of resources that are buried annually. Zero waste is good business sense!

The social issues of waste stem from impacts to our environment, such as the leaching of toxic chemicals from landfills into water supplies and the impacts of climate change. These are externalities that are not included in the current cost of waste disposal, but that our children will have to pay for later. Lombardi believes zero waste is “an ethical and moral responsibility to our children”.

Lombardi outlined how communities can reach 50 percent waste diversion in four years, through increased access to services, organics collection (composting), pay as you throw pricing for trash, and education. Paying for the amount of trash disposed of, rather than having a set fee per month, encourages consumers to make better choices and rewards those who work to reduce their waste.

To move beyond 50 percent recovery requires policy changes such as construction and demolition recovery mandates, product fees, disposal bans, and extended producer responsibility laws.  Boulder, Colo. now charges a 10-cent fee for plastic bags in stores, and Fort Collins is looking at banning cardboard from its landfills.  In Europe, extended producer responsibility laws put the responsibility for recycling on manufacturers, not individuals.  New European Union laws require that 80 percent of the materials used in products that have a plug are recyclable.

As San Francisco recently reached 80 percent waste diversion and other communities are close behind, the dream of zero waste is becoming a reality.  With a 15 percent diversion rate in 2012, Teton Valley is still a long way from zero waste. However, Fresno, California was able to move from a 29 percent diversion rate to 57 percent in just two years (calrecycle.ca.gov). With a little work, couldn’t we do the same in Teton Valley? To start, we need both increased participation in our current programs and a plan for the future. Contact tetonrecycling@gmail.com to find out how you can help.

Tanya Anderson is the executive director of Teton Valley Community Recycling. For more information, visit www.tetonrecycling.org. Information for this article came from Eric Lombardi of ecocycle, www.ecocyle.org.

The importance of delivering factual information, without hidden opinions, has been at the core of a recent argument between Elon Musk, co-founder of Tesla Motors, and John Broder, a staff writer for the New York Times, over Broder’s review of the Tesla Model S and Tesla’s new web of “SuperChargers”. Broder’s account of his test drive-road trip stood out because of its blunt dissatisfaction with both the car and the company. Musk was shocked by this review as the car had previously received praise and proceeded to examine the driving logs of the car. Broder’s account of the test drive was found to be laced with exaggerations and lies intended to bash the progressive technology he was testing. When these facts and raw data were reported, it became clear that Broder pushed the boundaries of truth to aid his opinion.

Developing alternative ways to power our transportation system is critical to successfully addressing carbon emission, one important element of climate change. This fundamental shift, which for many is uncomfortable, requires public interest, support, and action. Electric vehicles, which effectively lower an individual’s carbon footprint, have been shown to provide a successful alternative to gasoline-powered automobiles, buses, and trains. EVs are excellent options for many people but continued development of this technology is necessary for wide scale application. Acceptance of this technology is directly influenced by media reports.

Inaccurate or disingenuous information contained in articles like Broder’s do nothing but create confusion and skepticism, which usually leads to inaction. The recent standoff between Elon Musk and John Border serves as an excellent example of how a lack of transparency and journalistic integrity can directly hinder progress. An individual’s ability to form a thoughtful opinion upon which to take action is limited if the data is presented is in an incomplete or skewed form. Articles such as Broder’s should either be more deeply investigated prior to publishing or be left to the Opinion pages.

-Peter Neal, COO Willie Neal Environmental Awareness Fund

Peter spent the past year in East Burke, VT as a junior at Burke Mt. Academy. He will return to  Jackson Hole for his Senior year at the Jackson Hole Community School. He is the Chief Operating Officer at the Willie Neal Environmental Awareness Fund while not XC-Ski racing.  

Click HERE to read our February newsletter

The theme of 2013’s conference was ‘Momentum’ – chosen to capture the energy and growth of the industry’s first twenty years and propel it into the next twenty. The industry was celebrating the reinstatement of the $1/gal biodiesel tax credit, as well as the upping of the federal mandate to 1.28 billion gallons a year. No small feat for an industry that started in a small lab in Missouri in the early nineties.

Intern, Morgan Curtis, posing on the world’s first street legal biodiesel motorbike.

The National Biodiesel Board also announced an ambitious goal for the ten years going forward: biodiesel as 10% of the nation’s diesel consumption by 2022. With more and more engine manufacturers, government departments and consumers signing on for biodiesel use every day, this doesn’t look like too lofty a charge.

Another big focus of the conference was debunking the common ‘food vs fuel’ criticism with respect to biodiesel. A common misconception of the fuel is that it presents a competing market force for food products, raising prices for consumers. In fact, when biodiesel was discovered in the early 90s it finally presented another use for soybean oil, the long-underutilized co-product of soybean meal, an animal feed. Now that soybean oil is more valuable the price of the meal is driven down, lowering feed costs for livestock farmers. NBB claims not a single acre of soybeans has ever been planted in the US for biodiesel production.

Other sustainable biodiesel is made from recycled cooking oils and animal fats. And the newest feedstock to reach the market is actually algal oil, derived from algae that can be grown on wastewater. The industry’s potential is just huge.

I run my 2004 Volkswagen TDI on B100 in summer and B20 in winter, all with great results and no modification to my fuel system required. I think there’s no better feeling than the freedom of driving around on 100% renewable fuel. Here in Jackson this winter you can buy B10 at Wrangler Shell on Broadway. Up in Belgrade you can get B5 at CFN on Thunder Road, and B20 is available at both Phillips 66 on E. Sunnyside and at Conrad Bischoff’s in Idaho Falls. And if you’re outside of the Greater Yellowstone Area, click here to search for a station near you.

Happy 20^th Birthday Biodiesel!

Morgan

(These examples are in no way meant to reflect negatively on the START bus system, they are simply illustrating occasions in which our public transportation system has limitations.  The START bus fills a very crucial need in the community with over 800,000 riders annually.  There is a time and a place for different modes of transportation.) Living in a very environmentally conscious community, many people would prefer not to drive their vehicle solo, especially for longer trips.  An additional wide-spread program could supplement our already existing and successful system.

To better understand these programs we’re providing a brief description with links to example programs below.  A rideshare program is a system in which a person wishing to travel from point A to point B is connected with a driver going the same direction.  A car share program, such as Zipcar, is a membership-based company that offers vehicle reservations to its members.  The vehicles are company owned and located in practical locations throughout a city or town.  The hourly or daily rate includes driver’s insurance and fuel.   A peer-to-peer car-sharing program is a system to rent your personal vehicle out to people in your neighborhood.

There are many benefits to ride share and car sharing programs.  It is estimated that a single car sharing vehicle can replace as many as 15 personal vehicles. (Frost and Sullivan)  This adds up considering an internal combustion vehicle emits ~13,000 lbs of CO₂ annually according to the Department of Energy.  Also, 13.5 to 54% of participants take public transit more than they did before they were members of a car sharing program.  And finally, according to a Zipcar survey, and incredible 40% of Zipcar members have given up ownership of a personal vehicle.

What do you think this town needs to fill the gap between START and driving a personal vehicle everywhere?  Do you think a ride share, car share or peer-to-peer sharing program is what this community needs?  Do you think we are fine the way we are?  If you think a program should exist, should we bring in an existing car share or ride share program, create our own, revamp backcountryride.com or Jackson Hole Radio classified ride share to be more user friendly?  Should the Department of Transportation run the program or a private business?  Maybe you have a completely different idea.  We would love to hear your thoughts.

Example Ride Share programs:

• Backcountryride.com (LOCAL!)
• Zimride
• Carpooling.com
• Ridejoy

Example Car Share programs:

• Zip Car
• Car2Go

Example Peer-to-peer Car Sharing Programs:

• WhipCar
• Relay Rides

UPS has over 2,500 CNG, LNG, propane, hydraulic hybrid, electric and hybrid electric vehicles

We see the results of high carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere through filthy air in China, melting polar caps, increased severity of natural disasters, rising temperatures, and habitat loss leading to species extinction (e.g., Pine Bark Beetle epidemic), among others.  In fact, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this past decade (2000-2010) was the warmest on record.  The transportation sector contributes significantly to these high levels of carbon dioxide.

Switching to CNG and LNG as a transportation fuel offers a cost-effective means to reduce CO₂ by 20-30 % in comparison with gasoline and diesel.  Conversion of diesel haulers to LNG offers the additional advantage of reducing black carbon particulate emissions, another contributor to global climate change.  Finally, with fueling stations that can also dispense Hydrogen, a CNG/LNG fueling infrastructure offers a bridge to a transportation system based on Hydrogen fuel cells, an emissions-free fuel source of the future.

According to recent studies by the US Energy Information Agency (EIA), the United States could reach energy independence by 2020 to 2025, if current development trends continue.   Mr. Owens offers a static snapshot of current reserves (“11-23 years”), based presumably on current estimates of 300 trillion cubic feet (tcf).  However, these estimates do not take into account ongoing additions to capacity resulting from new sources discovered each year.   For example, the Marcellus Shale region is hardly insignificant, given its reserves of over 13.2 tcf, according to a 2010 EIA estimate.  This is just one example of increasingly discovered reserves, not resources, contributing to the nation’s supply.

Current projections point toward total domestic conventional and unconventional natural gas production by 2040 of 35 tcf per year, including shale gas, coalbed methane, tight gas, onshore & offshore drilling, and Alaskan reserves.   Imports are declining as drillers discover more reserves. This level of domestic production could easily accommodate at least a three-or-four fold increase in fuel use for an enlarged natural gas vehicle (NGV) fleet, which would put the U.S. well on the road to reliance on domestic oil production for our remaining oil needs.

As demand for natural gas grows, three key factors are pertinent.  First, natural gas prices will not remain at their current historically low prices, and commercially exploitable reserves will continue to increase.  Although prices are now artificially depressed owing to excess supplies, as demand increases, prices will gradually rise.  Higher prices will in turn encourage increased production.  Thus, prices per gallon equivalent of natural gas will level out to a more appropriate, but still relatively low level when compared with gasoline or diesel, whose prices are set by the global market.  Given these realities, it seems highly unlikely that a prediction of growing “parity” with oil prices will materialize any time in the foreseeable future.

Second, the current expansion of the natural gas transportation network is largely market-driven, not taxpayer-supported.  Although Mr. Owens criticizes the industry for its supposed dependence on taxpayer-financed subsidies, the only subsidies in fact being offered are low-interest loans to encourage private sector investment.  This seems a small price to pay in encouraging the private sector to tackle a challenge clearly of national interest.

In fact, according to Exxon Mobil, a recent economic impact study found that the natural gas industry contributed more than $380 billion to the U.S. economy in a single year, while creating 2.8 million American jobs.  Marcellus Shale in particular added 44,000 jobs for Pennsylvania in 2009 alone, $389 million in state and local tax revenue, $1 billion in federal tax revenue, and nearly $4 billion in value-added to the state’s economy.  This could very well be a reality for Wyoming as well, given the state adopts natural gas as fuel alternatives.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, as the industry advances with improving technologies, it is imperative for natural gas suppliers to extract reserves in a responsible manner.  This includes, but is not limited to, safe fracking techniques and appropriate reimbursement for wear and tear on taxpayer supported infrastructure.  In Pennsylvania, this phenomenon is known as an “Impact Fee,” where in 2012 drillers paid $50,000 per well, with 60% going to local counties and municipalities, and the rest supporting various state level agencies, according to National Public Radio.  Additionally, extraction companies can mitigate the potential hazards of fracking for natural gas by complying  with the International Energy Agency’s “Golden Rules,” which adds a marginal 7% to the overall cost of drilling and completion.

Collectively, NGVs will create healthier environments, potential energy security, and economic success.  For these reasons, it is in Wyoming’s best interests to take a proactive, preemptive, leadership role in building CNG and LNG stations.  This is the long-term solution to impending petrol shortages across the globe.  Responsible firms and states across the nation, like UPS, Utah, Washington, and others, are already converting to natural gas for fueling their trucks, taxis, refuse haulers, school buses, and passenger vehicles. Wyoming has the potential to be another leader in this field.  Converting to natural gas is not a mistake. Rather, it is a solution, one of many my generation must solve, that in this case will help both the economy and the environment.

Bayleigh McMenamin is a third-year student from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, PA, at the heart of the Marcellus Shale Region. She is a double major in Environmental Studies & Economics, and currently interns with the Jackson Hole Center for Global Affairs.

For more information about The Jackson Hole Center for Global Affairs please visit their website or Facebook page.

The first topic hosted by the Coalition will feature Idaho National Laboratory’s electric vehicle expert Matt Shirk who will present about the latest technologies for electric cars. Then in November, Teton Co Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling will host the topic of Recycling in conjunction with America Recycles day. The series will take a break for December and return in January with the topic of energy efficiency put on by the Jackson Hole Energy Sustainability projects. Future topics include composting, compressed natural gas, and green driving in the Tetons. The series hopes to draw a local crowd of all ages by providing resources for anyone and everyone interested in learning how they can incorporate sustainability into their everyday life. In addition to presentations, the workshop will be an opportunity for community members to come together over and share ideas of sustainability. There will be opportunity to win free energy audits and earn a complimentary lunch at Eco Fair in May by attending every month.

From now until April, join the Coalition on the third Thursday of each month at the Home Ranch Exhibit Hall located on the corner of Cache and Gill St. The workshops will begin at 6:00 p.m. Be sure not to miss the complimentary recycling of old cell phones, batteries and bear spray available at each session!

Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition’s (YTCEC) mission is to displace the use of petroleum in the regional transportation sector, improve air quality through reduced harmful exhaust emissions, and increase energy security and sustainability. This is accomplished primarily through the promotion of alternative fuels and vehicles, integrated transportation systems, and conservation strategies and technologies that benefit the public interest by reducing energy consumption, particularly of petroleum based fuels.

Next up: Recycling, November 15th 6:00 p.m.