California way to go green: To school and via transit

December 9, 11:26 AMSacramento Environmental News ExaminerHarry Osibin

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Give the gift of green!

The California State and Consumer Services Agency released an ambitious plan Tuesday designed to get the state’s schools off the grid and enable facilities to generate the power they consume. 

A guidebook entitled, Grid Neutral: Electrical Independence for California Schools and Community Colleges, is a step-by-step guide to helping schools and community colleges in cutting energy cost through on-site electric generation.  The guidebook is the result of seven collaborative workshops under the aegis of the Division of the State Architect. 

“We pulled together the best environmental experts and financial minds to create an easy-to-follow guide for school officials to invest smartly in green technologies and cut their production of greenhouse gases." said SCSA Secretary Rosario Marin. “This guide will help officials navigate both the technical and cost phases of going green."

SCSA says the guidebook is the first state-backed, comprehensive program for schools to use to create campuses that generate as much electrical energy as they consume.

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT), the local transit system, is continuing its 16-year tradition of offering free rides on the specially-painted and festive Holiday Bus. 

According to the District, Rick Sloan, RT's graphic designer, pre-painted the outline on the bus and then RT employees and their families painted the exterior of the coach in the "paint-by-numbers" fashion by adding colorful candy canes and ornaments.  To give everyone a chance to ride the cheery coach RT is running the Holiday Bus on a different route through Sunday, January 4th, 2009.

To repeat rides on the Holiday Bus are free; passengers will have the opportunity to place a cash donation in the fare box or contribute a non-perishable food item. All donations will benefit River City Community Services, a non-profit organization that provides emergency food and housing assistance to more than 24,000 clients annually in Sacramento County.

BTW all RT coaches are bicycle-friendly.