The fairly long "info-mercial" I posted on last week's newsletter about the Biotane division of Imperial Western sparked a relevant comment and question by a local reader :

"Thank you for your message and comments.... I can assure you that the PSGS and I are totally independent, and a 100% one-woman volunteer outfit - no sponsors, no paid advertisement, all out of pocket.

A person from Imperial Western product filled out the online form, requesting to be listed in the PSGS business directory.  I thought that their services and products are interesting... there are a lot of restaurants and hotels in the valley that could recycle their vegetable oil instead of sending it to the landfill. They might be a large corporation, but that is not necessarily bad. In fact I think their services are very relevant to sustainability.

I chose the video on LEED certification, because the public hears the term used, but not a lot of people know what LEED certification means.
I try to vary the info I put out."

Thank you C.W. - In a world being taken over by corporate interests and $handouts to load the dice, I appreciate people who question why certain info is being posted.  My aim ALWAYS is that someone among the current 1175 readers will be inspired to change something dysfunctional in the way we live.  Positive change in this case would be creating a valley-wide hotel & restaurant vegetable oil recycling pick-up system! 
Anybody out there interested?

Biotane Fuels Division Biotane Fuels represents the new frontier in renewable and alternative fuels emerging on American markets today.  Since the year 2000, Biotane Fuels has been at the forefront of the alternative fuels industry manufacturing “Biotane Biodiesel” from animal fats and vegetable oils.    Additionally, we offer our customers the ability to complete their “sustainability loop” by taking their waste vegetable oil and recycling it into an alternative fuel called Biodiesel. Biotane Fuels is one of a few biodiesel plants in California, and the only one that is BQ9000 certified as a producer and marketer of biodiesel.  Imperial Western Products

Click here to view Biotane video

click here to view "Solar Roadways" Duration (4m.) Solar Roadways is a first round finalist for the $200M GE Ecomagination prize thanks to it's innovative plan to build American roads with the power to harness solar energy. Determined to be recognized as having a possible solution to the country's energy needs, Solar Roadways is working to streamline production and lower costs. Solar Roadways is currently the top contender of public votes in the second round of the Ecoimagination Challege.  You can vote for SR HERE.  Are you interesed in the futuristic concept of smart solar homes?  Check it out here.

By Keith Barry , September 23, 2010 

A revolutionary idea that converts existing roadways into a national solar power grid is up for a major cash prize.

Scott Brusaw (shown below) is working on a project to encapsulate solar panels in high-strength glass capable of standing up to thousands of cars and trucks passing by each day. He estimates that a single parking lot paved with solar panels — even one where cars are parked — could power the big box store it serves, and a cul-de-sac paved with solar panels could take an entire subdivision off the grid even on a cloudy day.

Eventually, LEDs built into the tops of solar panels placed on highways could move lanes around, create crosswalks, display speed limits and even detect and warn drivers about road hazards like stopped traffic and crossing wildlife. Best of all, the panels could be laid down over existing asphalt.

The project might sound improbable, but he’s got the ear of the Federal Highway Administration and is currently in fourth place in the GE Ecomagination Challenge, a competitive funding opportunity that could get the project off the ground, so to speak.

It all started a few years back when Brusaw and his wife Julie were gardening and talking about climate change. Scott had dreamed of transmitting electric power through roadways since he was a kid playing with slot cars and always thought an electrified roadway could be used as a solution to reduce emissions. “Couldn’t you make your electric road out of solar panels?” Julie asked.  Read more

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The PSGS bulletin board

FOR SALE : Classic car with a touch of green This "green" 1966 Mustang runs virtually emisson free on Propane, or on Gasoline. It has factory air conditioning with an oversized radiator for Desert conditions. It is equipped with a 289, V-8 engine and an automatic transmission. You may remember seeing this car displayed at the Earth Day celebration held at the Ace Hotel, and on "Eye on the Desert" Channel 2 news. This is a perfect car for a classic car lover with a green consciousness. Asking $12,600, will negotiate. Call 760-399-8001 for more information and ask for Jim.   _________________________ Palm Springs First Edible Garden Tour February 26, 2011 Visit two school gardens, walk through restauraunt herb gardens, visit homes with edible landscaped yards, hear a master gardener and an agronomist along the way. Come with a friend!   HAVE FUN!    Get inspired! The first Palm Springs Edible Garden Tour is being organized by the Palm Springs Neighborhood Involvement Committee (PSNIC). Limited to 50 participants.     All details & purchase your ticket(s) HERE                   _________________________ Support the Farmers Markets For more information, call 760-898-5250 Tickets can be purchased at all of the Certified Farmers Markets & at the Camelote Theatres Proceeds benefit the Palm Springs Cultural Center’s Certified Farmers’ Market program and a portion is tax deductible. CFM 2nd Annual Fundraiser Sat. Mar 19, 2011 4:00pm - 8:00pm Price: $ 75.00 Casa de Monte Vista 696 N. Via Monte Vista,Palm Springs, CA 92262 Help Support your Local Certified Farmers’ Market! Join us at the fabulous Casa de Monte Vista in Old Las Palmas for a wine tasting, silent auction, entertainment and seated dinner featuring several local world-renowned chefs. ___________________________________  The documentary that everyone should see!   Sunday, February 27 at 4:00 pm Embassy Suites Hotel – Salon IV 74-700 Hwy 111, Palm Desert CA 92260 $5 room cover charge   The Chemtrail/Geo-Engineering Coverup The new G. Edward Griffin Documentary   We are being sprayed with toxic substances without our consent and, to add insult to injury, they are lying to us about  it. For further information contact  Melanie St. James @ 760-776-7600 ________________ Wednesday through Sunday, March 2-6, 2011 Agua Caliente Cultural Museum presents the tenth annual Festival of Native Film & Culture at Camelot Theatres in central Palm Springs. The Festival is one of the nation’s most highly-regarded events of its kind -- featuring the best in films by, about, and starring Native Americans and other indigenous peoples. Engaging, entertaining, and enlightening feature films, documentaries, and short films from some of today's premier Native American and indigenous filmmakers will be followed by informative Q&A sessions. Guest programmer is Elizabeth Weatherford, founding director of the Film and Video Center of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. The outstanding lineup of screenings this year includes a wide variety of films.  They range from short films originating in Hawaii and those of hilarious comedic content with strong messages, to finely crafted documentaries that evoke new depths of appreciation for and understanding of gay/lesbian and migrant issues experienced in the Native world. Information & film festival program ________________ UCR Palm Desert's Series    "The Desert of 2050: Alternative Scenarios"  Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 6 p.m.   By 2050, the Coachella Valley could be a model sustainable urban-wildland ecosystem, or a land of rusted pipes and weeds. The difference depends on the willingness to plan for and work through the range of issues with long-term sustainability in mind. Dr. Allen will discuss some of the implications of alternative decisions in terms of ecological sustainability (biodiversity, clean air, and adequate water). Presented by Michael F.. Allen, Ph. D., Director, Center for Conservation Biology, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Department of Biology, UCR. Click here to register.   "Population Growth, Aging, and Sustainability"  Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 6 p.m.    This lecture will explore how demography often determines destiny. Population growth around the world is closely tied to the aging of that population, and aging has profound consequences for economic growth and financial sustainability. This lecture will touch upon these inter-relationships and highlight the potential impact of demographic changes on inland Southern California's future. Presented by  Anil Deolalikar, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Professor of Economics, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, UCR. Click here to register. ___________________________________ The World Environmental & Water Resources Congress is an important opportunity for professionals in the environmental and water fields to convene and focus on topics of the day. This year's technical program focuses on “Bearing Knowledge for Sustainability”. It is important that the environmental and engineering community integrate sustainability, in dealing with today’s issues whether they be technical, economic, social, environmental or political. Registration is open. More information.