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Help keep our parks open - Show your support at a rally
Save Arizona! Save our Future!
Rally for Parks and Conservation
Environmental Day at the Capitol
Monday, February 1, 2010
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Arizona House of Representatives lawn
1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix
What you’ve heard is true: the legislature is devastating parks funding, forcing more closures. We need to speak up for Parks! Join us on Monday, February 1, 2010 for Environmental Day at the Arizona State Capitol, located at 1700 W. Washington in Phoenix. We’ll have a brief program on the House Lawn. Speakers will focus on the devastation to parks and environmental programs from the last legislative session and let us know how we can turn the tide.
Bring a brown bag lunch to enjoy while listening to the speakers. We’ll provide tables and chairs, drinks, and cookies for dessert. We’ll try to time it so we can go inside and be introduced from the floor as a group. Let’s try to make a strong showing.
We also encourage everyone to attend committee hearings and meet with individual legislators. Hearings for the House and Senate Natural Resource committees meet that afternoon. The best time to meet with legislators is prior to 11 a.m. or after 1 p.m. We can help you set up appointments, give you information on how to set them up, provide background information, and also team you up with someone, if that is your preference. It is important that they hear from you. No experience is needed – just enthusiasm and a willingness to speak up. For more information or to RSVP contact Janice Miano at (602) 528-7500 or [email protected] or Sandy Bahr at (602) 253-8633 or [email protected]
Please let us know if you plan to attend, so we can be sure and have enough packets, snacks, and drinks.
If you cannot make it to the Capitol on Monday, February 1st, PLEASE CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS!!!
Arizona Senate (602) 926-3559 or toll-free 1-(800)-352-8404
Arizona House of Representatives (602) 926-4221 or toll-free 1-(800)-352-8404
How to calculate the amount of C02 sequestered in a tree per year…
Our partner - Trees for the Future estimates their agroforestry trees, planted in tropical climates, will sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide at an average of 50 pounds of carbon dioxide per tree per year.
The rate of carbon sequestration depends on the growth characteristics of the tree species, the conditions for growth where the tree is planted, and the density of the tree’s wood. It is greatest in the younger stages of tree growth, between 20 to 50 years.
To get a yearly sequestration rate they divide by the tree’s age.
To see the more detailed calculation, please CLICK HERE here for the document from Trees for the Future.
While you are there, you might want to signup to plant some trees or purchase a certificate for a loved one.
Beyond Green Joins Valley Forward
Valley Forward Welcomes Beyond Green LLC!
Beyond Green’s first business venture, Clean Air Cab, has taken the initiative to purchase 2010 Generation 3 Toyota Prius’s, purchase carbon offsets and has committed to planting 10 trees per month, per car in their fleet. As of now, they have 26 Cars in their fleet and have planted 780 trees in the months of October-December!
Clean Air Cab has also partnered with the Susan G. Komen foundation and has wrapped a vehicle with the Susan G. Komen pink ribbon symbol. They will donate $1 per every fare picked up in the cab for the duration of one full year. They have joined Trees for Tempe, a program to replace community trees damaged or lost due to storms.
They practice and follow the Triple Bottom Line concept by creating sustainable business practices and have implemented the following:
• Purchasing Energy Star rated office technology and equipment
• Using recycled paper products
• Printing with soy based inks
• Recycling all paper, plastic, and glass products
• Low flow water fixtures
• Tree planting
• Carbon Offset purchase
• Fuel efficient hybrid vehicles
• Insulation made of recycled jeans
• Sheet rock made of recycled chalk and dust
• 99.9% VOC free interior paint
• Partnering with local environmental outreach programs
Source: Valley Forward Association or https://www.valleyforward.org/
Haiti Earthquake Relief: How You Can Help
Tuesday’s devestating 7.0 earthquake in Haiti has left millions of Americans wondering what they can do to help. Here are some of the most reputable organizations that are assisting with disaster relief. Click on each individual organization’s name to learn more about how you can help:
The American Red Cross has a full-time staff on the ground in Haiti, providing ongoing HIV/AIDS prevention and disaster preparedness programs, and has already pledged an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by the earthquake. They seek additional donations to continue providing food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support.
Convoy of Hope has established a command center just outside of Port-au-Prince, and is distributing food, water and supplies to the victims of the earthquake.
Direct Relief International is a U.S.-based organization that provides medical assistance to impoverished nations, and has committed up to $1 million to aid emergency response efforts. Already, they have sent two 40-by-20-foot containers packed with more than $420,000 of medicine, supplies and food to St. Damien Children’s Hospital in Port-au-Prince.
Operation USA already operates in Haiti, and is sending medical aid, water-purification supplies and food supplements to the nation.
Samaritan’s Purse is a Christian organization that, for over 35 years, has provided assistance to victims of natural disaster, war, disease and famine. In Haiti, they are helping survivors with food, water and temporary shelter.
UNICEF saw its offices in Port-au-Prince suffer heavy damages in the earthquake, but is ready to provide relief, deploying “essential aid” — safe water, sanitation supplies, therapeutic foods, temporary shelter materials and medical supplies — to assist in recovery efforts.
World Vision has worked in Haiti for 30 years, and is seeking donations to provide victims with food, water, blankets and tents.
Yele Haiti is Wyclef’s own charitable organization, and has established an online donation site to help victims of the earthquake. Through his Twitter account, he’s also asking his fans to lend a hand, by making a $5 donation by texting YELE to 501 501.
How Does a Hybrid Car Work?
Traditional cars have a gasoline tank which supplies fuel to the engine. This turns the transmission which makes the wheels spin. An electric car has batteries that send electricity to the motor. This also turns the transmission and makes the wheels spin. Even though electric cars do not produce emissions, with today’s technology they are not ideal for transportation because they can only go 50 to 100 miles between charges. They are also slow and inconvenient to charge.
A hybrid car is an automobile with more than one power source, such as an electric motor and a motor that runs on traditional fuel. A hybrid car is the best of both worlds because it offers the convenience of a gas-powered car but also helps the environment and saves on fuel cost.
There are two types of hybrid cars, a parallel hybrid and a series hybrid. A parallel hybrid has a fuel tank that supplies gas to the engine and an electric motor that runs on a set of batteries. Both the engine and the electric motor can turn the transmission at the same time, hence the name parallel hybrid.
A series hybrid has a gas engine that turns a generator. In turn the generator can either power an electric motor to turn the transmission or it can charge the battery. This means that the gas engine never directly powers the car.
Clean Air Cab uses the Toyota Prius which has a power split device. This special device is a gearbox that allows the vehicle to operate as a parallel hybrid or a series hybrid by connecting the gasoline engine, generator and electric motor together. The electric motor can power the car independently, the gas engine can power the car independently or they can both power the car simultaneously. The power split device also acts as a continuously variable transmission which means the car does not need a manual or automatic transmission. Also since the generator is connected to the engine by the power split device, the Toyota Prius does not need a starter and can be turned on by the simple push of a button.
From initial acceleration to low speeds, the Prius is powered solely by the electric motor.
When light acceleration is applied, the Prius uses a combination of electric and fuel power. During heavy acceleration the Prius uses fuel power assisted by the energy in the battery for extra horsepower.
When slowing down or stopping the gas engine shuts off and car is powered by electricity from the battery. When the Prius is at a complete stop no tailpipe emissions are produced, unless the drive battery needs to be recharged.
By driving a hybrid car you are reducing tailpipe emissions and improving mileage which in turn puts money in your pocket. That is why Clean Air Cab uses hybrid cars to save green by going green, and we pass that savings onto you, our valued customer.
Go Green for Less with Clean Air Cab!
Tempe Parks to Host King Day of Service on Monday, Jan 18
TEMPE, Ariz. – In remembrance of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s exemplary leadership and life-long dedication to improving the human condition, Tempe Parks and Recreation will host a King Day of Service on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, Jan. 18.
Volunteers from Clean Air Cab, McCarthy Construction’s service group, the “Heart Hats,” and students from Arizona State University’s Community Service Program will beautify the south shore of Tempe Town Lake near the SunCor building from 7:30-10 a.m. The 20 corporate volunteers will plant trees for the Trees for Tempe program, rake gravel and plant and trim shrubs. The public is also invited to meet at the project site and take part in the clean-up efforts.
The Martin Luther King Day holiday was promoted to a day of national service in January 2009 when the U.S. House of Representatives read a resolution encouraging “all Americans to pay tribute to the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through participation in community service projects on Martin Luther King Day.” Tempe Parks and Recreation’s King Day of Service will be the first such event for the city, and will also be the first Trees for Tempe volunteer tree planting of 2010.
Since its inception in October 2008, more than 400 trees have been planted in Tempe community areas under the Trees for Tempe program. Trees for Tempe invites monetary donations to help replenish storm-ravaged areas of the urban forest and offers one-time volunteer opportunities for local businesses, neighborhoods and organizations. Tempe Parks and Recreation is also now offering ongoing volunteer opportunities through the new Adopt-a-Park program, which allows groups to perform basic maintenance on neighborhood and community parks on a regular basis to help keep Tempe’s parks clean, beautiful and safe.
In another effort to beautify the earth, shrub and tree clippings collected during the King Day of Service beautification effort will be sent to Singh Farms to be converted into compost as part of Tempe’s new agreement with the farm. Compost is decomposed organic material that can be added to soil to help plant life grow and thrive. The move to composting is not only environmentally conscious, but will also prove to be a cost-saving measure for Tempe. In the past, Tempe has dumped park clippings into landfills, costing the city $24.62 per ton of waste. Even more money was used to purchase compost from Singh Farms, but with the composting agreement in place, Tempe will be able to buy back its decomposed waste at a lesser price. The processed compost will first be used in park redevelopment projects and to enrich and improve Tempe’s athletic fields.
About Clean Air Cab
Based out of Mesa, Ariz., Clean Air Cab is Arizona’s first carbon negative taxicab service. Its mission is to make it affordable and convenient for everyone to go green by offering green cabs at less expensive rates than traditional cab alternatives. The eco-friendly transportation company launched in October 2009 with a fleet of 26 Toyota Prius, currently the most fuel-efficient hybrid auto on the market. The Ford Crown Victoria’s traditionally used by cab companies releases approximately 62% more emissions than the Toyota Prius. The Toyota Prius also offers an extra 33 miles per gallon of gas – a gas savings of almost 1,000 miles per gallon across the fleet. In addition to the substantial reduction of carbon emissions and improved mileage offered by its fleet, Clean Air Cab purchases carbon offsets and supports global reforestation by subsidizing the planting of 10 rain forest trees monthly for each cab in service. For more information on Clean Air Cab, please visit www.cleanaircab.com or call (480) 777-9777.
Intuit Awarding Several Small Business Grants in January and February
Intuit is running a promotion called “Love A Local Busines” and Clean Air Cab would love your vote. After you vote for us you can also register your own company!
1 company each month will receive $35,000
Click on this link or paste into your browser: https://bit.ly/6TsNO7
Thanks from your friends at Clean Air Cab!
https://www.cleanaircab.com
480-777-9777
Go Green For Less!
Many of us have the misconception that you have to pay more to utilize green products or services. At Clean Air Cab, we believe making the green choice should be good for the environment and your wallet. That is exactly why we price our rates below our competition.
Company Initial Charge*
Discount Cab $2.95
Yellow Cab Co. $2.50
VIP Taxi $2.50
Clean Air Cab $2.50
Company Per Mile Charge*
Discount Cab $1.95
Yellow Cab Co. $2.00
VIP Taxi $1.95
Clean Air Cab $1.90
Company Delay Charge*
Discount Cab $28.00
Yellow Cab Co. $28.00
VIP Taxi $28.80
Clean Air Cab $28.00
* Prices obtained online from each respective company’s website, as of 10/05/09
Go Green For Less with Clean Air Cab!
Clean Air Cab Plants 780 Trees in 2009
When Clean Air Cab started, we made a commitment to plant ten trees for each cab we put on the road. We are keeping that promise with one of our important Partners, Trees for the Future. Tress for the Future is helping us plant 260 trees each month for the 26 cabs in our fleet. We are planing these trees in São Paulo State, Brazil to support one of Trees for the Future’s current projects.
São Paulo State contains some of the last vestiges of the Atlantic Rainforest - only 7% of the original Atlantic Rainforest remains today. Much of the destruction of these forests was and is due to sugar cane production. In addition to cutting down the forests, sugar cane production leads to hectares and hectares of land being burned every year. After sugar cane has exhausted the land, cattle ranchers move in, thus causing significant erosion and even greater land degradation. As the land is degraded, springs dry up, soil washes away, agricultural production falls, and plant and animal species disappear.
São Paulo State is one of the richest regions of Brazil. Although this is the case, the richest 20% of Brazil’s population has 64% of Brazil’s riches, while the poorest 20% only has 2% of the country’s riches. While traveling through the region, you will see large farms of thousands of hectares, but you will also see farmers pushing their small plots of land to their limits to make a living. The result is poor health and poor land for the poorest citizens of the region. The Brazilian government is trying to help by creating laws forcing land owners to reforest their lands, which in the end, will restore the land’s health and benefit people. However, the government has not supplied any monetary or informational assistance, thus making it even more difficult on small land holders.
Tress for the Future has responded to this crisis by initiating a long-term program to address low agricultural production, rural poverty, and environmental destruction. Historically, the greatest impediment to sustainable land management was a lack of local capacity to solve agricultural and environmental problems. Therefore, a significant portion of this initiative will be aimed at developing local capacity in agroforestry techniques that address issues endemic to Brazil such as overgrazing and the deforestation of waterways.
Fall is the busiest time for this project in Brazil. Trees for the Future has finished all of their training workshops and are now distributing seeds and starting nurseries. When South America Coordinator Jeff Follett visited Brazil in late September he and Brazil Technician Fernanda Peixoto distributed approximately 230,000 seeds to 70 families. Fernanda is the key to their success during these demanding times. She will continue to distribute more seeds and will work with community members to establish nurseries this month and to transplant seedlings this month. If you would like to learn how to get involved and support Trees for the Future, please click here.