The city just installed three solar-powered trash compactors as a test. The cans are called “BigBelly” compactors and the BigBelly company is hoping the city will find that it will spend less money of fuel and labor to empty trashcans on city streets if it uses these compactors. The cans have a battery to power them and a solar panel to charge the battery. I’ll be passing two of the three test receptacles on my way to work today: 18th & Walnut and Broad & Walnut. Maybe I’ll carry a little trashy snack with me to feed them.

The Philadelphia Inquirer article by Ashwin Verghese is titled: Solar-powered trash units get trial run in Phila. (Not a very snappy title for something that should be hip and exciting.)

There appears to be progress in Mayor Nutter’s push to reduce violent crime in Philadelphia. He and his chosen police commissioner Charles Ramsey announced that for the first six months of the Nutter administration incidents of violent crime fell 20%. Since Nutter’s publicized goal for crime violent crime reduction was 25%, it is good to see an article like this one by Philadelphia Inquirer staff writer Andrew Maykuth: Nutter Seeks Even Lower Crime Rates

As a business manager in Center City I applaud Mayor Nutter’s and Commissioner Ramsey’s dedication to making a real difference for the city. Over the last four years there was a lot of bemoaning the rise in violent crime but very little to nothing was effectively accomplished. It’s clear Nutter will not settle for that and that is excellent news for every Philadelphian.

Photo by John Shillabeer, Taken on October 19th, 2006. (Wikimedia)

When I was in 8th or 9th grade I read about Robin Lee Graham, a teenager who sailed around the world alone on his sail boat Dove. It was an inspirational story. Since I was a mountain boy who had never been on a sail boat, I as not inspired to sail away from home, but the strength of character to face danger and loneliness for the sake of a dream was something I could and did learn from.

Now another young man of 16 has launched himself onto the oceans in an endeavor to circumnavigate the globe and follow in Robin Graham’s wake. Zac Sunderland hopes to complete the trip before turning 18, a feat that would make him the youngest person to sail around the world. I’ve linked to his blog and intend to follow the tale of his adventure. Even at 48 I can still be inspired by courage and determination. Best of luck and weather to Zac!

Old Japanese Maple-Flickr image, thanks to Radium Rat for making this photo bloggable!

Trees are the longest lived things on the planet. Several are known to be about 2,000 years old, at least, but how about a sapling only 3 years green sprouted from a seed that was over 2,000? The previous record for a viable seed was 1,300 years. In an AP article by Randolph E. Schmid posted today the news is about a date palm seed from Masada and the healthy sapling it has grown into. It’s amazing that the seed remained viable so long, but it raises the question of how to think or talk about age? This genetic material is clearly 2,000 years old but the growing tree is only three. This may be a rare, natural case; yet, in the biological age (as opposed to industrial or atomic ages) that we find ourselves embarked upon future discoveries and creations will demand that we adjust to a more curious living world than what we thought we were living in.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Best Buy is testing an electronics recycling program in 117 of its 922 stores. Michael Liedtke reports on the pilot program from San Francisco today on the AP. The same story was also reported today on Business Wire. The big deal is that consumers can drop off obsolete and redundant electronic products at Best Buy without charge. The items will then be pushed from Best Buy into recycling processes. There are some exceptions to what is eligible for drop off at the stores: large appliances, TVs over 32″, microwave ovens, air conditioners, etc. Acceptable items such as personal computers can, however, be from any retail source and are not limited only to items purchased from Best Buy itself. There is an avalance of electronic waste poised for recycling so Best Buy has limited the participating stores to certain areas: Balitmore, Washington, D.C., Northern California, and others (see articles) to make sure they can handle it. Why would they do this? A spokesperson mentions the companies awareness of its social responsibilities. The true business-based motivation might be coming from potential revenues from waste materials and/or consumer goodwill and loyalty, but I’m just guessing. I can definitely say that if Best Buy keeps and expands this program they will definitely get my goodwill and future business. Programs like this are way long overdue in this country. Kudos and good luck to Best Buy!

Inga Saffron, the architecture critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer, posted her review of Philadelphia’s tallest building today — The Comcast Center — Changing Skyline: Comcast’s New Tower a Blank Slate for City. She says that this building is, in fact, the 12th tallest in the country, and I’ve heard that it is the tallest between Chicago and NYC. The Comcast Center is easily seen in Fen Branklin’s photo of my previous post. I think Ms. Saffron gives a balanced review. She is disappointed that more daring was not taken in the building’s design, but I’m not sure more daring in such a prominent edifice would have resulted in a better building for the city. This is not a particularly daring city after all. I’m just pleased that the building is not the even more staid rectangular glass box that I was afraid it would turn out to be. The taper with contrasting mirrored and clear glass segments save it (and us) from that. It is true that the see-through top with the girders visible gives it a vaguely unfinished look during the day but when it is lighted from within at night there is a muted lighthouse/beacon effect that enlivens the skyline without being overpowering. I think what Ms. Saffron is getting at is that this “quicksilver obelisk” which tends toward looking “like a giant flash drive” is not the gem that the quirkier and generally admired Cira Centre has turned out to be. That is not so bad, in my opinion. The positive things that I learned from Ms. Saffron’s review was that the Comcast Center is the tallest ‘green’ building in the country and that the plaza and underground shopping complex deserve a visit. I’m just relieved that Comcast CEO Brian Roberts did not put up a giant version of that horribly gaudy and self-aggrandizing marquee on the Avenue of the Arts that bears his mother’s name — the Suzanne Roberts Theater. I may even grow to like the Comcast Center but I doubt I will ever stop cringing when I walk past the excellent Kimmel Center and am next affronted by that mashup of metal pretending to be billowing fabric, uhgg.

Center City Left

Originally uploaded by Fen Branklin

Flickr contact Fen Branklin took this great photo from a kayak in the Schuylkill River. He has many exceptional shots of Philadelphia. Click on the photo to check out his Flickr album. (Thanks to him for allowing this photo to be blogged.)

Phoenix lander has made it safely to Mars! I’m watching NasaTV now and these guys are ecstatic. It’s like their team won the Superbowl (only actually much more important in the big picture). I heard one in the background yelling: “We’re down, baby. We’re down!” Nasa TV - exciting - who would have guessed.

Now - the questions, How much water, how easy to reach it, is there/was there life in the water that is now captured in the permafrost of the Martian pole?

Report is that the landing was PERFECT. However we are still waiting to see if the solar arrays deploy correctly in order for Phoneix to fulfill its mission.

Four hundred years is a long time to be away from home. Things change though and maybe it is time to return. After all, wolves returned to Yellowstone and Condors are trying to come back to California. Why shouldn’t beavers paddle around in the Scottish lochs again? Knapdale Wildlife Refugee is the chosen site for re-locating three or four beaver families from Norway. These groups will serve as the pioneering stock for the Scottish beaver population. The five year trial introduction will be run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. Environment Minister Michael Russell paints a quaint little picture of the beaver and its reintroduction to Scotland:

They are charismatic, resourceful little mammals and I fully expect their reappearance in Knapdale to draw tourists from around the British Isles and even further afield.

He points out that beaver activity creates habitats that support increased diversity of other species. That is true and I am pleased to see this project is underway. I have, however, worked as a forester in areas where beaver populations were healthy and know that their presence is not all sugar and cream for humans. Hopefully, this reintroduction has been planned well enough that the beavers can have the space and resources (trees) they need to do their thing, because that ‘thing’ that they do is both constructive and destructive. What is not mentioned in the article is what will keep the beaver population in check if they really like their new home? Humans don’t wear beaver fur hats any more and castor oil has fallen out of favor in the modern pharmacopia. The non-human predators from the 16th century have probably not faired much better than the Scottish beavers themselves. At any rate, I genuinely laud the project and wish these beavers well. There should be a big party for them. 400 years is really a long time to be away.

Check out the NASA video explaining the landing challenges of the Phoenix Mars Polar Lander which is scheduled to touch down this coming Sunday. Three weeks ago I was at Kennedy Space Center for the very first time and was totally impressed and re-inspired by the US Space program. I’ll be watching for the success of this expedition to find water on the Mars pole.