The Weeping Willow has the Answer

In some ways I am thankful that I no longer have my car since I have been here in NYC. Unfortunately, for those of you who do, as you may have heard oil prices have surged to a record cost at over $75 a barrel . I hope that many were reminded on Earth Day that attention to alternate fuel sources must be raised and executed.

If you didn’t get a chance to see “Too Hot to Handle”, produced by the great Laurie David, I suggest you check out HBO on Demand tomorrow to see what is a great documentary on the causes and effects of Global Warming.

The state of New York along with the State University of New York (SUNY) are currently investing money and research into technology which would produce corn-free ethanol primarily from wood chips from willow trees. The result of this new source of energy is clean and affordable fuel. Currently Governor Pataki is backing the conversion of the old Miller Brewing Plant (which used to provide college students’ beer), into a plant that will now produce non-corn based ethanol. As written in the NYT, the current engineering director is attempting to convert the 420 acre plant into what would be the Northeast’s largest Ethanol production plant.

This is great news for my state. I hope that local government officials will continue to support innovative, affordable, and much-needed solutions such as alternative energy and sustainable production and design methods. As a SUNY alumni from FIT, its makes me glad to see the push for out of the box thinking regarding environmental solutions. I hope to see more of the same types of initiatives very soon.