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Deep into the periodic table, where the elements take on unfamiliar names like neodymium, erbium, terbium and ytterbium, lies a row of metals that are crucial to building wind turbines and electric cars. A new group wants to make sure that the United States has enough of these so-called rare earth elements to carry out its clean energy plans.

The metals already show up in many parts of daily life, such as a computer’s hard drive or the earbud headphones of an iPod. But their mass production carries a secret: Virtually all rare earth materials get mined and processed in China.

The Rare Earth Industry and Technology Association (REITA), which is less than a year old, wants to make companies and the government aware of the issue — before a clean-energy scale-up leaves the United States dependent upon a near-monopoly.

Keith Delaney, REITA’S director, managed to get onto a panel at an electric-car conference in Washington this week. He delivered a stark message to the enthusiasts whose usual focus is rushing the pricey cars into the mainstream.

The current Toyota Prius, a hybrid, uses about 4 pounds of rare earth materials, he said. A car with a heftier battery, such as the Chevy Volt, needs more. And a single wind turbine uses about 500 pounds.

Engineers have no way around this, he said: To keep these machines light and efficient, the metals are irreplaceable. Specifically, their magnetic properties are needed for the best-known technologies for electric motors and wind turbines.

“We’re stuck with rare earth technology for the foreseeable future,” he said. “The green energy goals of the nation really can’t be met without rare earth. They’re indispensable in so many applications.”

“Rare” earth metals are no rarer than many other metals in the Earth’s crust, such as copper and tin. What’s rare about these metals is that they don’t often cluster in rich lodes that are easy to mine.

Not in your backyard, in quantity

As Delaney put it, rare earth metals would likely turn up in any backyard — though not in any concentration worth digging up.

Through sheer geological fortune, China has the densest veins of rare earth in the world — a resource that has made it not only a major exporter, but also a major supplier of the second- and third-place exporters.

In 2007, 90 percent of the United States’ imports, measured by weight, came from China. Only one company has any production in the United States, and in 2008, it didn’t produce any.

That could spell a dangerous trend, Delaney said. By his estimates, world demand for rare earth metals is growing 10 to 15 percent each year, thanks largely to a growing appetite for electronics.

But as the world shifts to low-carbon technology, he said, China’s rare earth reserves will gain importance — not least to the Middle Kingdom itself.

Wind is the wild card

“The wild card is wind,” Delaney said. Two companies — one American and one Australian — are poised to open new mines in the next few years, but he said the accelerating Chinese renewables sector could sweep up the supply: “If demand for wind turbines goes through the roof, all bets are off.”

Delaney doesn’t just want to raise awareness: He hopes companies and governments will begin the search for more reserves.

Automakers have tended to consider rare earth a distant part of their supply chain, he said — one that they aren’t in a rush to scrutinize and protect.

But REITA has gained the attention of General Electric, a leader in wind turbines and a company that will be counted on for much of the clean technology built by the United States. Other members include Molycorp and the Colorado School of Mines.

Arctic veins, but investors seem chilled

Delaney wants to spur research that can locate more mines, as well as infrastructure spending. He said a ribbon in the northern reaches of Canada, near the Arctic Circle, holds promise. But the site is so remote that miners would need roads and water pipes before a single pound of metal was reaped.

Observers say dozens of exploration companies have pitched sites to investors, but they’ve found it difficult to prove their worthiness. Any potential mine demands a thorough feasibility study. The absence of nearby infrastructure means additional costs. And rare earth mines tend to be smaller than those for other metals, meaning they yield less cash for every infrastructure dollar invested.

The entire process can take up to 12 years, said Dan Cordier, a rare earth specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey.

But given the sudden burst of interest, he said, it wouldn’t be surprising if current evaluations went faster than usual.

“It’s happening so fast, I think it would be a matter of time before you could get a full understanding of whether those could compete against the larger deposits,” he said.

www.molycorp.com

I just read a couple great articles (as usual) on Earth911.com and just continue to find more evidence regarding the vital importance for all companies to go green.  The first was Lori Brown’s article: Consumers Rank Greenest Brands in the US.  It talks about the 2010 ImagePower Green Brands Survey which analyzed the opinions and perceptions of over 9000 people in 8 countries.  Burt’s Bee’s, Whole Foods, and Tom’s of Maine were rated the greenest  in the USA by consumers.  The survey says more than 60% of consumers want to buy from environmentally responsible companies “expecting green companies to engage in a broad set of actions including toxic reduction, recycling and managing water”.

Another related article by Amanda Wills talks about how consumers want “Less Talk,  More Action” from companies because of false green claims and lack of action by governments and industries.   This article focuses on the Greendex 2010 survey and how it is not money, lack of choice or access to information that is keeping people from going green.   The study says the 2nd major obstacle is that people feel that individual efforts are not worth it if industries and governments are not doing their part.

This really makes sense for what is going on in the Gulf right now, companies and governments have to step up to the plate and clean this planet up through current and future behaviors.  But it’s too bad to hear that people are losing faith in their individual efforts, we must never underestimate our individual impacts.

Thanks to the great reporting by Amanda and Lori.

Check out this video, The Story of Bottled Water, about our pathological addiction to bottled water from The Story of Stuff Project.  This wonderful video tells the story of the beginnings of the bottled water industry.  It points out that bottled water, on average, costs two thousand times more than tap water and is dominated by the traditional soft drink companies like Pepsi and Coke. I loved the story of how Cleveland took offense to FIJI bottled water’s ad campaign and tested the quality of its city tap water vs FIJI’s.  The surprising results actually showed that lab tests consistently showed Cleveland’s tap water to be higher quality and also was preferred in taste tests.   OK, I’ve already gone on for too long, the video speaks for itself and there are many more where that came from. What a great site: StoryofStuff.org

Care about our world’s oceans, plants and animals?  Of course you do, and you’re not alone. Concerned people everywhere agree we have an environmental disaster of historic proportions on our hands in the Gulf of Mexico. You may have heard that the oil spill appears to be larger than previously thought.  Purdue University engineering professor Steve Wereley, after analyzing BP’s congressionally mandated live video feed of the spill, estimates that up to 100,000 barrels of oil are leaking from the bottom of the ocean every day.  This news adds to a laundry list of bad news on the worldwide environmental and economic front in recent years and it can be overwhelming and flat out depressing to think about.

But what can we do to help?  Most of us have jobs and families we must attend to. It’s not like we can just drop everything and head down the gulf to help with cleanup.  Furthermore, many of us wouldn’t have the slightest idea of how to help with an oil spill clean up or have the resources to make a significant difference.   So how can we be a part of the solution?

We have to stop thinking so big, and begin small.  It is little decisions like riding our bike to work and recycling our aluminum cans that is what we must do to help.   For far too long our culture has treated issues such as recycling as “optional” and with complete ignorance.  We have an extremely short memory as a society.  As an example, check out Anne Casselman’s article about the Top 10 Biggest Oil Spills in History at PopularMechanics.com. The shocker is that the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 doesn’t even make the list.  Oil spills keep happening throughout the world repeatedly and we all act like this is a once in a decade thing or something.

The truth is that oil will continue to be drilled as long as there is demand for it.  Our culture’s attitude about clean energy and the green movement needs an immediate shift.  But like I said, we must start small and simple!  For example, another huge environmental issue is the amount of plastic that is being used in this world, and this plastic is ending up in our oceans just like the oil.   You’ll be shocked if this is your first time hearing about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and as Oprah Winfrey reported last year “ is estimated to be twice the size of Texas”.   Although this giant garbage dump is composed of all kinds of floating trash and debris, plastic is the biggest problem because it never really decays completely.  So not only do we have oil spills in to our oceans, we also have plastic and trash spills.  According to the Container Recycling Institute, 51.9 billion beverage containers have been consumed so far this year, as of late May.  Reusable water bottles are a perfect example of the kind of simple changes we can make in our individual habits and lifestyles. Imagine the difference that can be made if the average person chooses to use stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic bottles.  In the same way, we can prevent environmental catastrophes by not driving gas guzzling inefficient cars and walking or using public transportation instead.

We all care deeply about the health of our planet, and now we need to turn our disgust for the disaster in the Gulf into simple action and minor adjustments in our lifestyle.  Don’t let the latest news get you down, develop a vision for a healthy planet and do the right thing: Go Green.

I’d like to introduce California Organic Flowers to our eco friendly community.   Here is an excerpt from their front page at https://californiaorganicflowers.com/:

We are flower growers and we are passionate about our products. Browse our site and you will find a rainbow of fresh flowers from our own flower farm in Chico, California. Many of the varieties will be new to you because we don’t believe in limiting your floral joy to just roses and carnations. And just like the seasons, our organic flower selections change regularly, so visit our website often to see what is in bloom!

Each morning we rise early to pick your flowers, ensuring that they are fresh, vibrant, fragrant and grown and harvested with the greatest care. We carefully pack our  Certified Organic Flowers into our beautiful gift box and deliver next day anywhere in the continental U.S.A. We also offer, organic gifts and organic chocolate. Satisfaction is guaranteed. Choose California Organic Flowers as your fresh flower delivery expert today!

I’d like to introduce www.BitsyBirdie.com to our eco friendly community:

Bitsy Birdie focuses on bringing you the best eco-conscious toys, books, and apparel. Bitsy Birdie was founded to provide an alternative to big chain toy stores. We provide innovative, fun, well-made toys emphasizing safety and quality. Toy and apparel makers’ dedication to children and the environment are important to us. Our mission is to provide safe, high quality, eco-conscious toys along with relevant information to help customers make informed purchases.

I’d like to introduce American Natural Products to our eco friendly community.  Here’s an excerpt from their “About us” page.

Since 1983 American Natural Products has been a pioneer in the development, manufacture and marketing of biorational pest management and plant growth promoting products used in agricultural and horticultural crop production.  Our product line has been proven effective through many years of University trials and customer experiences. These products have been used across the United States and in many countries, by homeowners, lawn-care companies, turfgrass managers, landscapers, greenhouses and nurseries, vegetable growers and grain farmers.  Our continuing commitment to produce only ecologically safe and effective technologies makes American Natural Products an unparalleled resource in today’s rapidly changing agronomic world.

Through the success of our products in extensive commerical applications, we have been inspired to continue expanding our offering of safe environmentally friendly solutions to the  homeowner and small business owner.

Those interested in large commercial applications may wish to visit our other website: http://www.soiltechcorp.com.

I’d like to introduce ahhNatural.com to our eco friendly community.  Here are some excerpts from their site:

As people become more aware of the health hazards associated with harsh chemicals, and the environmental hazards associated with releasing chemically treated spa water into the environment, they have begun to seek out “green” alternatives.

ahhNatural was developed as a people safe, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional toxic chemical sanitizers.  ahhNatural is an easy-to-use natural hot tub maintenance product based on the same advanced technology commonly used in the water purification industry. ahhNatural has been perfected in over ten years of research and development.

With an environmental disaster in the Gulf dominating the headlines in recent weeks, now more than ever, people from all backgrounds understand the great environmental need for changes in our individual lifestyles and cumulative habits as well as for company’s organizational culture and dedication to our Planet’s future. Much in the way that smoking has largely been pushed away from indoor public spaces and why it is not socially acceptable to text or talk on the phone while driving, we’ve also nearly reached the tipping point for cultural consciousness when it comes to reducing, reusing, and recycling.

The public gets it, and the green movement will continue to grow rapidly.  Any large company that is not routinely evaluating its processes and procedures for eco friendliness faces a potential public relations nightmare over the next decade and beyond. It’s critical for small businesses and large corporations to solidify their eco conscious reputation too.  Businesses must always remember that customers have choices.  As consumers critique sustainability in their own lives, they’ll also be looking at your business.  It is more important than ever to show these potential customers your corporate commitment to green practices.

It is so easy to go green and support the environment.  A very common way for a business to go green is by starting some sort of company recycling program in the office place.  As a matter of fact, the newest trend is to eliminate the need to recycle altogether whenever possible.  Simple green practices include having your employees and customers go paperless or distributing reusable stainless steel water bottles and reusable coffee mugs to employees to help reduce the use of disposables.  Another great way is to simply remember to turn the lights and business machines off when leaving the office.   Individual circumstances will vary, but you’ll likely find that many localities don’t provide public recycling options for the community, nor do they do much to encourage people or businesses to go green as of yet.  If your business finds a way to implement sustainable and recyclable business practices and office culture, despite existing roadblocks, then don’t hesitate to blog about it or brag about it in a press release, and tell the story of your company’s eco consciousness and dedication to the environment.  Be an advocate for your community, and help remove the barriers to recycling, through the practice of thousands of companies we can motivate millions of consumers to make changes in their lifestyle creating monumental and fundamental change.  The extra efforts to take care of our planet in this era will eventually be recognized, improving your organization’s reputation as an eco ambassador and pioneer.

You can also benefit by making going green a part of your marketing strategy.  Giving out eco friendly promotional products at trade shows and job fairs is a subtle way to create a memorable experience and promote eco consciousness and awareness of world-wide green issues.  Trade shows and job fairs are a great example of where your business must stand out above the competition, and eco friendly custom bags are a great way to do just that.  Not only do you hand out a reusable product with your company’s logo and insignia that stays with the customer indefinitely but you are also showing your corporate sense and dedication with the use of sustainable and recyclable products. In this lackluster economy, your company must be admirable and memorable in the eyes of every possible customer, vendor, colleague and even a talented candidate for employment.  In most cases, a final decision is not made on the spot, so you must stand out and perpetually stay in the prospect’s mind, customized recycled trade show bags made entirely of one use plastic water bottles is a cost-effective and sociably admirable marketing method as well as a great way to leave a quality long lasting impression on your audience and our Planet’s fragile future.

An almost free solar water heater system for your home! Now that’s an idea we can get some real savings from, almost everyone would like to have it in their home. . .but most people just won’t take action to install it – they just say to themselves, “maybe I’ll either buy or build a solar water heater system sometime in the future.” The gas and electric bills paid to the utility companies throughout the years have cost these people a lot of money. The need for water heating will not go away and most of the humans on this planet who are already used to having constant hot water availability certainly won’t want to do without it. Since we know what a great deal a solar water heater system is both economically and environmentally, why don’t you get started immediately?

This excellent article on a DIY solar water heater system is also a must-read, be sure to take a look at DIY Solar Water Heater System Discussion.

Before we answer the questions above, let’s talk about not only a solar water heater system, but hot water systems in general. They come in various flavors. Some of the most common are the conventional gas heated hot water that uses a hot water storage tank, electrically heated hot water that also uses a storage tank, on demand electrically heated water that uses large amounts of electricity to heat water just before it’s delivered by a faucet and finally, the clean and inexpensively heated solar water heater system heated by the sun itself.

If you want to stop your family’s costly and continuing cycle of using hot water, you now have the benefit of knowing that there are excellent, professionally-written guides available to help you with every step of your do it yourself solar water heater system project which will save you a lot of money – almost right away. An outstanding, popular and respected guide that has been used by thousands is available to you to make sure you get the most out of your solar water heater system DIY project!

This excellent article on a DIY solar water heater system is also a must-read, check out DIY Solar Water Heater System Discussion.

As you examine the cornerstones of most gas-heated and electrically-heated home hot water systems, you’ll find that they are almost identical except for the actual method of heat transfer to the water. A very simple process handles the heating of water by either a gas-powered flame or an electrically powered heating element – as the water cools to a certain prescribed point, the thermostat causes either the gas flame or electricity to turn on to reheat the water to a comfortable preset level where a sensor detects the correct temperature and again turns the heating mechanism off until the process of the stored water becoming cooler starts the cycle again. In almost every conventional home you see, this is the type of water heating system in use, but their operational costs have become overly expensive and burdensome due to the huge amounts of gas and electricity which are continuously required to both initially heat and maintain the temperature of water used in the home for use at a moment’s notice. A solar water heater system could be exactly what the doctor ordered to cure this problem!

Another method of providing hot water is the on demand, electrically powered tankless water heater that is placed in the water line just prior to the faucet or spigot. The idea is that hot water does not have to be kept hot in a storage tank when it is not needed – heating does not take place until such time as the hot water is actually needed. On the surface this idea would appear to be an excellent idea, although in everyday use most users discover that the high purchase price coupled with installation costs of from several to many tankless water heaters (usually 3-5 or more are necessary to provide hot water for the average home) in addition to constantly rising electricity costs can force the homeowner into many years of time in recovering his costs in many cases.

Now the curtain rises for the solar water heater system to help us save a lot of money each month. . .you’re able to have an excellent hot water system and because of its solar DIY benefits (simple and economical to construct by almost everyone) it will save money for many years into the future, generally for the rest of your life. If you thought the good news stopped there, think again. . .you will be able to save a lot of money on your monthly utility bill, that’s a certainty, but you can also take advantage of a solar water heater system to heat water in a spa and/or pool which will save you even more money and as a side benefit, it lengthens your swimming season since you can easily afford to keep your spa and pool water at a comfortable temperature! If you want more information on getting started in solar DIY, visit the following DIY solar guide (Hint: This guide also shows you how to build your own and save with solar electricity panels and solar hot water panels):

To find more useful information on a DIY solar water heater system, see A DIY Solar Water Heater System Discussion.

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