New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled a sweeping energy plan last night with a huge focus on renewable energy. The initiative depends heavily on wind power and calls for wind turbines on New York City bridges as well as on many city skyscrapers. Bloomberg also called for wind turbines off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Hizzona also stressed the need for greater energy efficiency.

In a speech presented to the National Clean Energy Summit last night Bloomberg said:

We don’t generate a lot of electricity in New York City, but we can work on using less. And in New York, we’re determined to do what no other city has ever attempted, and that is to keep our energy usage at or near its current level even as our population grows.

The financial information technology billionaire turned Mayor also noted the financial gains waiting to be capitalized on with alternative energy:

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Oh, those wacky Brits and their comically oversized wind turbines.   The Queen of England (who, if we remember our history lessons, is the Queen of Canada as well) has gone ahead and purchased the world’s largest wind turbine.   The turbine is called the Britannia, and is 25% more powerful than the previous record-holder.   It will be built off the coast of the United Kingdom, because apparently the Queen still owns the water.

From the article at treehugger.com, here’s a quote from the Director of the Marine Estates at The Crown Estate, which I gather is fancy talk for “Guy that watches over the water the Queen owns”:

This is an important step in the future of offshore wind and a great opportunity to help establish a new industrial base of activity to advance the UK’s leadership in renewable energy.”

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“Garbage Warrior” is a new film about controversial architect Michael Reynolds, who has been building radically sustainable architecture and off-the-grid energy communities for 35 years. Our trash is his muse ” everything from old tires to plastic bottles to beer cans ” all transformed into energy independent eco-homes he calls “earthships.”

The walls absorb heat from sunlight in the winter, and insulate against the heat of summer. Windows are strategically placed and adjustable modulate sunlight; solar panels and wind turbines generate electricity. Rainwater is captured; wastewater is filtered and reused. Greenhouse areas are used to grow food. The aim is to make the people who live in these houses self-sufficient.

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