Another feature of Florida's Energy Bill adds "greenhouse gas emissions" to the list of negative impacts of transportation systems in Florida. The Bill encourages Metropolitan Planning Organizations to consider strategies that integrate transportation and land use planning to provide for sustainable development and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. photo credit... Read Full Story

The new Energy Bill created the Florida Climate Friendly Preferred Products List. It is to be used by state agencies when they make purchasing decisions. Further requirements have also been attached requiring state entities to contract with facilities for meeting and conference space from hotels or conference facilities with the “Green Lodging” designation. State agencies will also be required to meet certain minimum maintenance schedules on all their vehicles and requires that, when a... Read Full Story

Effective January 1, 2009, the new Energy Bill passed by the Florida Legislature removes the expiration date for property tax exemption for real property where the device is working. (No exemptions under this provision prior to 1/1/2009.) The exemption is limited to the original cost of the device, including installation costs, but not including replacement of previously existing property and only lasts for ten years. Technical changes to the sales tax exemption for "renewable energy... Read Full Story

Even though the State of Florida has been talking about telecommuting for its state employees since 1994, not a lot has really happened despite huge increases in technology. Now, as a part of the energy bill that was passed by this year's Legislative session, (HB 7135) state agencies continue to be required to identify and maintain a current listing of jobs that would be appropriate for telecommuting. We'll see if the state progresses beyond the early '90's. Oh, and what the State was... Read Full Story

Green Tallahassee readers may remember last year's discussion about clothes lines and the state law that prevents homeowner's associations from banning them. This came up again at the recent Leon County's Climate Action Summit where folks in the audience seemed surprised that the law existed. S. 163.04 has been amended by this year's Legislature to further clarify this issue, and continues to reference, not only clothes lines, but solar collectors, also. The former height restriction of... Read Full Story

Check out more "alley sprouting" tomorrow night at First Friday at Railroad Square and in All Saints. Sponsored by "Get Green" FSU's College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance, the goal is to create Florida friendly plant zones that compliment the existing and new art. Read Full Story

Governor Crist announced the second Summit on Global Climate Change "Serve to Preserve Florida" will be held on June 25 and 26, at the Intercontinental Miami. This years summit will focus on stimulating economic development in clean technologies and greening Florida’s business community. For more information or to register visit www.myfloridaclimate.com Read Full Story

For Earth Day, some of us saved a week's worth of plastic and decided to model it before it went into the Smart Cart! Read Full Story

Aaron Bauldree, President of the Tallahassee Community College Engineering Club received a $2,500 grant that funded the "solar powered golf cart." He's also working on a heat reconcentration system, a solar powered heating and air conditioning unit and a biodiesel production facility that would help eliminate fertilizers from the wastewater in Leon County. He'll be speaking at the monthly luncheon of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers about how the TCC Engineering Club spent last... Read Full Story

Sometimes a plan just comes together. For over twenty years, I have been the number one cheerleader for microfinance projects in Florida. The microloan concept has been more successful in developing nations such as Bangladesh, where it originated, than in the US. The marriage of small business loans and the reduction of greenhouse gases is a logical addition to the toolbox for addressing climate change. ACCION International announced it is partnering with Uganda Microfinance Limited to... Read Full Story