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Hybrid to race in ALMS series

By Matt Cunningham | Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 09:55 AM

It’s no secret. Despite my deep interest in environmental and sustainable-living topics, i have a guilty pleasure…

I like watching cars go really fast. I spent part of my Labor Day watching the televised finals at the NHRA Mac Tools Nationals in Indianapolis. Not the most eco-friendly of sports by a long shot, even though one occasionally sees funny cars running on corn-based ethanol.

But now I’ve found a sign that conflicted gearheads may be able to spectate with less guilt in the future. The American LeMans Series announced earlier this week that professional race team Corsa Motorsports intends to race an ethanol/electric hybrid in the series’ LMP1 class. Corsa Motorsports’ website has more information about the car, as well as pictures of the sleek silver bullet. ALMS is trying to green up its series as well, with a category that factors cars’ emissions and efficiency into the final standings. Read more about that here, then come back and share your thoughts about this: is it good news for conflicted gearheads? An attempt to put a green spin on a highly consumptive activity? Something in-between? Share your thoughts.

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A “lo-car” weekend

By Matt Cunningham | Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 08:47 AM

My parents came into town this weekend, and, as usually happens when company’s around, we spent a lot of time out of the house.

But unlike many other visits past, this time the car only played a minor role in our plans. It’s refreshing to see that become a possibility around West Chester Twp.

My folks arrived in time for dinner Friday evening. After meeting them at the Marriott off Union Centre Boulevard, my wife an I suggested we eat at a nearby restaurant. We were able to walk from the hotel to restaurant thanks to ample sidewalks and crosswalks, and the storm that hit during dinner just meant more time to savor dessert and the conversation. After dinner, we wandered through the area by the Square @ Union Centre, where I pointed out the various amenities under construction and my parents picked up a nifty renewable-source wood serving dish from The Learning Kitchen. The only gas we directly used that evening was used on the drive to and from the hotel.

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Mill Creek getting back to work

By Matt Cunningham | Friday, August 29, 2008, 12:36 PM

If you live in West Chester Twp., stop by the township’s city services building on West Chester Road, and take a look at what’s going on in the low area across the parking lot. Workers are restoring the flood plain around the Mill Creek, which runs through the area. This is part of work funded in part by grants from the Clean Ohio fund.

When the work is complete, it will mean more for the area than just a pretty green space within sight of the courthouse. The space will play a role in cleaning the creek, and in turn, making water quality between here and Cincinnati a little bit better.

To learn more about the role the creek (and creeks in general) play in regional water systems, take a look at this page produced by the USDA.

And if you’re outside this weekend, make sure to take some time to enjoy a local park, forest, lake or stream.

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VOA Museum considering renewable energy plans

By Matt Cunningham | Thursday, August 28, 2008, 10:59 AM

One of the more visible community projects in West Chester Township is the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting. If you’re not from the area, you may not know that VOA’s Bethany Station on Tylersville Road was once one of the most powerful transmitters on the planet, broadcasting Voice of America programming across the globe during WWII and the years that followed.

The township is working on restoration of the building with the eventual plan of creating a museum of broadcasting. An interesting aspect of the initial plans is that they include a heavy dose of renewable energy to provide power while keeping costs reasonable.

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More on domestic energy

By Matt Cunningham | Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 09:04 AM

After writing yesterday’s post, I did some online research and found the text of the Republican-sponsored House Resolution 6566, the domestic energy plan at the center of this debate.

You can read the full text here (grab a cup of coffee - it’s lengthy and in depth).

Once you’ve read the resolution, share your thoughts about it here. Do you think it’s a good plan? Anything you’d change?

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The domestic energy debate gets local

By Matt Cunningham | Tuesday, August 26, 2008, 09:36 AM

This blog has included a handful of posts about the domestic energy debate going on in Washington right now. Do we open more domestic land for oil drilling? What about offshore? Would more refineries help? And would additional oil come online fast enough to do something about rising energy costs? Is more oil a solution to domestic energy concerns?

All of these topics have vocal proponents and opponents, and the debate has taken on a more local aspect for those of us in the Cincinnati-Dayton corridor.

A group of West Chester Twp. residents have launched a push called Energy Rally for America. I’m researching it, and will have a story about it later this week. In the meantime, go to their website and read about them here, then come back and share your thoughts. For those of you in the local area, does their plan reflect your opinions? Do you think their plan is a step in the right direction? Do you think there’s a better way to address energy independence?

Share your thoughts.

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A local twist on wind power

By Matt Cunningham | Sunday, August 24, 2008, 08:30 AM

After yesterday’s post about the proposal to tap wind power in New York City, I thought it would be appropriate to find further reading about wind power projects in Ohio.

While not every region of the state has high enough average wind speeds to justify industrial scale wind farming, there are many parties working to find ways to integrate wind into the state’s energy generation plans.

The Ohio Department of Development has a web page that outlines some projects, as does non-profit group Green Energy Ohio. The Ohio Wind Working Group also has an informative web site.

Take a look at these sites, and share your thoughts about wind power in Ohio. How could it be applied here? Do you see wind as a feasible way to clean up our energy generation?

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