Positively Green: A Friend In Deed

Extending like a dragons tail over the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, between the California shore and nowhere, is the rock bed known as Ennepah or Anacapa Island. Ennepah in the Chumash language translates to deceptive or mirage. The Coastal Chumash gave the arid landscape this name to describe the ever changing weather patterns and thus to describe it's appearance from the coast or upon approach as seen from the perspective of a Tomol. Ennepah is a chain of three islands, barren and uninviting. It is an island of stark beauty, jagged coastline, sweeping views and sustainable energy. Solar panels provide the electricity for park ranger and visitor housing needs. Tractors & generators are fueled by biodiesel. So is the Sea Ranger II, the 58-foot vessel operated by Channel Islands National Park. A diamond in the rough, Anacapa Island is a testimony to the commitment of environmental preservation, successful implementation of renewable and sustainable energies and the tireless commitment of it's steward Kent Bullard. Imbued with abundant energy, drive and commitment to the sustainability of our planet, Kent is walking encyclopedia of sustainability practices and his voracity is contagious. Seen here, Kent monitors the quality and levels of Biodiesel for the islands tractor. He is the founder of the Southern California Biodiesel Users Group, a co-founder of the Los Angeles Biodisel Users Coop, and serves on the U.S. National Biodiesel Quality Assurance Board. Last but not least, Kent is my mentor and colleague and a fine example of Positively Green .

A Photo a Day.....

In the Alpine Werdenfelser County of Upper Bavaria, bordering Austria, in the region of the Tyrol, the Fasching tradition saunters throughout the narrow Alpines villages as it has for generations. Fasching or the day before the fast, also known as Fat Tuesday, was celebrated historically by those wishing to mimic the aristocracy or heads of the church without fear of retribution. In the hamlet of Krün, nestled in the Alps, participants wear carved wooden masks, their family heirlooms, dressing as their ancestors did. The maschkera promenade throughout the city to drive away the winter season. To cast out the winter ghosts and bad spirits and to invoke spring, through song, music, or cow bells.

My photograph on watercolor paper.

"From The Fields To The Tank" a project in collaboration with the Global Reporting Initiative has been published in the current issue of SUBLIME magazine, London, U.K. Some facts and figures: Vegetable Oil as a fuel goes back to 1893 when German inventor Rudolf Diesel, created the engine that bears his name. Diesel originally tested his engine using peanut oil.According to the UN World Food and Agriculture Organization, Europe is the world's largest producer of biofuels, with Germany as the backbone of that production. Germany averages to date, 4.3 million tons of biofuels, derived from Raps, according to a November 2007 Reuters news agency report. To see additional photos on the Biofuels project, go here

AL Gore & UN Environmental Panel on Climate Change awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize

Al Gore and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Hey, this is a good day. This is very good news. I feel like a breathe a sigh of relief today. The photo at left, is a Raps oil by-product, known here in Bavaria as Raps kuchen or Raps cake. After the Rap seeds have been crushed their oil pressed for Bio-fuel/SVO or cooking oil, the compost is pressed into these pellets and it is used for farm fertilizer, burn fuel for home heating and in the Austrian Tirol, farmers like to feed the pure raps cake to their animals. No waste.

Biofuels: From the Field to the Tank

'Biofuels: From The Fields To The Tank' is a photo story that illustrates the step by step process of the plant derived, alternative fuel known as

Biofuels or SVO (straight vegetable oil) and Biodiesel . The photographs were published this past week on the Global Reporting Initiative website which maybe viewed here. Please take a look Much has been written on the subject and most recently an article published by Reuters news agency quoting Jane Goodall. She is quoted as saying that biofuel crops hurt rainforests. I have to wonder if this statement was taken out of context? I disagree with this statement. Biofuel crops do not hurt rain forests. I offer the opinion that is is the slash and burn land management that hurts the rain forests. So Jane, with all due respect, please rephrase your statement. I would like to offer this sustainability guideline published on the Bioenergywiki: social, economic and environmental. All three aspects must be met if something is to be considered truly sustainable. * Anything which protects the environment by driving people into poverty, or something that supports the economy while undermining environmental services, will inevitably collapse, often with devastating consequences for people today and future generations. * While nothing can be sustained forever, ecosystems, including those with humans, have maintained themselves for tens of thousands of years. This definition is provided by the Bioenergy wiki All photographs on this blog are the copyright of Ana Elisa Fuentes.

If you are interested in licensing photos, please go here More photos will be posted to this blog.

Photos from left to righ, raps seeds in the pod. When the seeds are pressed they produce Raps oil -- used for cooking and for alternative fuel. Raps in harvest, raps oil directly into a tractor fuel tank and the raps in spring time full bloom.