Some good and bad news here: I got an e-mail today about a new sustainability report by FPL highlighting the company as a national leader in clean energy.

The report recognizes FPL as the number one producer of wind and solar power in the US, and goes on talking about how FPL plans to make Florida the second state in solar energy generation, how FPL generates more power from its wind farm than from its largest nuclear plant, and how FPL owns the largest wind farm in the world, located in Texas.

I was happy to hear this, not only because finally so much heat will be used for something other than attracting tourists (who consume and leave a lot of waste behind, but that should be another topic), but because I always felt that Florida was a little behind compared to other more energy efficient states.

Well, what does it matter now? Not even an hour later, breaking news about our favorite energy company pop up on the web again, this time pointing out how FPL is trying to expand its nuclear plants and not only pass on the costs to its customers- $67 million next year-, but -and this is the real bummer- how FPL told the Public Service Commission that nuclear power is key to Florida’s future energy plans.

“Nuclear power continues to be more economical than the latest state-of-the-art natural gas power plant. Our analysis indicates that the new nuclear units would save our customers more than $1 billion a year in fuel,” FPL spokesman Mayco Villafana told the Sun Sentinel.

Now I don’t know what to think. Was FPL’s sustainability report released a day before the hearings at the Public Service Commission intentionally? What do you think? Is the company trying to fool us?

The PSC hearings will continue Wednesday and Thursday, with a vote expected Oct. 16.

09/10/09 update: More disappointing news: Two top Public Service Commission staffers resigned yesterday and two others went on administrative leave after a Miami Herald investigation revealed that the employees had given their Blackberry codes to FPL’s lawyer, letting them text message eachother without leaving any paper trail. It seems that there will be new hires at FPL’s pr office.

Photo by afloresm

Some good and bad news here: I got an e-mail today about a new sustainability report by FPL highlighting the company as a national leader in clean energy.

The report recognizes FPL as the number one producer of wind and solar power in the US, and goes on talking about how FPL plans to make Florida the second state in solar energy generation, how FPL generates more power from its wind farm than from its largest nuclear plant, and how FPL owns the largest wind farm in the world, located in Texas.

I was happy to hear this, not only because finally so much heat will be used for something other than attracting tourists (who consume and leave a lot of waste behind, but that should be another topic), but because I always felt that Florida was a little behind compared to other more energy efficient states.

Well, what does it matter now? Not even an hour later, breaking news about our favorite energy company pop up on the web again, this time pointing out how FPL is trying to expand its nuclear plants and not only pass on the costs to its customers- $67 million next year-, but -and this is the real bummer- how FPL told the Public Service Commission that nuclear power is key to Florida’s future energy plans.

“Nuclear power continues to be more economical than the latest state-of-the-art natural gas power plant. Our analysis indicates that the new nuclear units would save our customers more than $1 billion a year in fuel,” FPL spokesman Mayco Villafana told the Sun Sentinel.

Now I don’t know what to think. Was FPL’s sustainability report released a day before the hearings at the Public Service Commission intentionally? What do you think? Is the company trying to fool us?

The PSC hearings will continue Wednesday and Thursday, with a vote expected Oct. 16.

09/10/09 update: More disappointing news: Two top Public Service Commission staffers resigned yesterday and two others went on administrative leave after a Miami Herald investigation revealed that the employees had given their Blackberry codes to FPL’s lawyer, letting them text message eachother without leaving any paper trail. It seems that there will be new hires at FPL’s pr office.

Photo by afloresm

The Miami-Dade School District has more to celebrate than the new school year: last Monday, it opened the doors of its first green-certified high school, also the first in the State (see update below).

The Terra Environmental Research Institute, located in Kendall, will offer high school students a magnet program for biomedical research, environmental studies and engineering and robotics, the first such program in Miami Dade, reports The Miami Herald.

Meeting LEED requirements, the school has recycling centers on every floor, plumbing fixtures that use at least 20 percent less water, uses natural light efficiently, reducing the need of electricity.

Students will also learn how to eat healthy; The Herald reports the cafeteria has only healthy offerings. Read more here.

9/2/09 Update: I ran across this story on how the Palm Beach School District is taking steps to be greener by starting recycling programs, using environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies, and reducing energy consumption.

The Sun Sentinel article also mentions that the county opened the first green-certified school in Florida in the fall of 2008: Pine Jog Elementary, west of West Palm Beach, was the first school to obtain certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Ok, so Pine Jog is Florida’s first green “school” and Terra is Florida’s first green “high school”? There are so many companies and organizations claiming to be “first” green or that, that we sent an e-mail to the USGBC to verify the facts. Keep posted.

What do you think? How green is your child’s school? Will green schools help raise a more eco-conscious generation? We’d love to read your comments.

Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography

With more incoming freshmen considering how eco-friendly a college is before making their decision, Sierra Club’s “top 20 cool schools” list is likely to play a role in the decision-making.

The survey ranks University of Florida 15th in the list, which could lead to more applicants next year.

Each of the 135 participating schools was rated on efficiency, energy, food, transportation and waste, among other things.

University of Colorado, Boulder, leads the list with a score of 100. The University of Washington, Seattle and Middlebury College follow with a tie of 98 points.

UF ranked 15, with a total of 94 points, scoring high in efficiency and administration -nine points each- and low in energy – a mere three points.

Also in the list was University of Central Florida, which was ranked 57th, with 80 points. It scored high in academics -nine points- but low in energy -two points.

Although they didn’t make it to the list, a few local universities have been taking steps to become greener. Florida International University has taken measures to become LEED certificated, and last year opened its first LEED-registered building (meaning the building is now being considered for certification). The University of Miami launched a Green U campaign and website to comply with as many LEED-certification requirements as possible.

How important are a college’s eco-initiatives to you? Do you know of other local universities taking measures to be greener?

Photo by ~foundphotoslj

Ignoring the environmental impact of their decision, Palm Beach County commissioners voted today to allow development by Florida Crystals on what was former Everglades land. Development will create more jobs, they argued.

The commission voted to change its development rules and allow industrial uses on 318 acres south of South Bay owned by sugar giant Florida Crystals, the Sun Sentinel reports.

The land is part of the hundreds of thousands of acres of former Everglades that was drained to make way for agriculture.

Commissioners argued that the warehouses that Florida Crystals plans to operate will create new jobs, even if this could happen years from now.

This was not an issue for the Everglades Coalition and 1000 Friends of Florida and other environmental groups such as that showed up at the meeting, worried that this decision will open the door to more development in the region, which will get in the way of Everglades restoration.

The commissioners did require that future development be planned in coordination with the South Florida Water Management District to make sure it doesn’t interfere with Everglades restoration.

State regulators must still sign off on the proposal. Let’s hope they have a problem with it.

Photo by bafefootinfla1