Category Archives: Sustainability

Movie Review: Where to Invade Next

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Steve O'Rourke

Last night we watched Where to Invade Next, a film by Michael Moore. While many people disregard Moore as a provocative liberal, he identifies a number of policies and programs that other countries have implemented that seem very enviable and … Continue reading →

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My Volt Love Story

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Steve O'Rourke

When I saw the first production design Volt in 2008, I was fascinated.  It was a great looking car, and the idea of running on electricity was particularly alluring.  Now, if the truth be told, I had not been a … Continue reading →

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Film Review: Merchants of Doubt

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Steve O'Rourke

“We’re the negative force—we’re just trying to stop stuff.” – Marc Morano, Executive Director of ClimateDepot.com, a leading site for climate change skeptics. This quote sums up the theme of Merchants of Doubt, a hard-hitting and at times discouraging documentary … Continue reading →

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Team Microgrid Rides Again!

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Steve O'Rourke

Once again, Microgrid Energy sponsored a team to ride in the 2015 Bike MS: Express Scripts Gateway Getaway Ride on September 12-13.  We first formed a team in 2014, and raised over $5,000 for the Gateway Area Chapter of the National … Continue reading →

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Disruptive Innovations in the Energy Industry

Posted on August 2, 2015 by Steve O'Rourke

This is an exciting time in the energy industry, unless you work for an electric utility company.  Just like changes that happened in the telecom industry not too long ago, these utilities are in for a shake-up. The three-prong disruptive … Continue reading →

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No More Gas for the Grass

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Steve O'Rourke

Americans love their lawns.  Though manicured grasses originated in England, we continue to adorn our homes with expansive lawns that require a lot of maintenance, including water and mowing.  At our suburban home, we’ve been slowly reducing the size of … Continue reading →

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Green Hotels

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Steve O'Rourke

Chances are that if you’ve stayed in a hotel lately, you’ve seen cards inviting guests to choose to re-use their towels and have their beds made without changing the linens.  This certainly began in areas where water is less abundant, … Continue reading →

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Modern Flames

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Steve O'Rourke

Fireplaces have long established a sacred spot in the center of our living or family rooms.  The nostalgic sound, feel and smell of a crackling wood fire has a cozy, romantic feel.  Many traditionalists believe that a natural wood fire … Continue reading →

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Ecotourism

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Steve O'Rourke

Ecotourism is a new way to embrace sustainability in travel.  Per the backpacker’s motto – “Take nothing but pictures; leave nothing but footprints.” – ecotourism is a style of travel that has a low-impact on the environment, and usually involves … Continue reading →

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Recycling Can’t Get Any Easier

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Steve O'Rourke

Growing up, our family started recycling because my frugal father received a small pittance for our aluminum cans and newspapers, so we had special bins in the garage for each.  We’d crush the cans to optimize the space requirements, and … Continue reading →

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