Introducing plug-in or "balcony" solar Legislation to legalize "portable" plug-in solar New laws have been proposed in at least 30 states thus far . . . and laws have already passed and implementation is starting in a handful already. What are the basic provisions in all the proposed legislation? VERY small systems only, using standard or special "added safety" 120V and possibly 220V plugs, with total "portable" power in the ranges of 400W, 800W, 1,200W, and possibly 2,000W.

The April 2026 National Geographic Magazine includes a report "honoring a group of extraordinary people who are rising to meet the most critical challenges of our time, making meaningful progress and incredible breakthroughs . . . bold thinkers and problem solvers from across the globe . . . leading the charge for change." The article explains, the National Geographic Society was started by a group of 33 founders, in 1888, so this report identifies 33 "visionaries, icons, ad

The Henry Ford Museum hosted a special exhibition of bicycles and bike history artifacts , selected from the Museum's extensive permanent collection. Though this exhibition has ended now, and these items have been returned to storage, the interest in Michigan bicycle power continues to grow. Here are a few highlights from the exhibit, along with some information about future plans to coordinate bicycling and related human powered equipment. Made in Detroit: a Ford Motor C

DaVinci The Exhibition   is a detailed exploration of the life and work of the ultimate Renaissance man. Step into the world of Leonardo da Vinci through full-scale inventions, intricate art studies and stunning displays. This limited-time exhibition brings to life da Vinci’s discoveries in art, engineering, science, flight and more to celebrate and study one of history's most brilliant minds. Open daily. https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/things-to-do/calendar/davinci-the-ex

We now know that plastic pollution is causing all kinds of problems in our environment. People are starting to take action to reduce our dependence on single-use, so-called "disposable" plastics, and researchers are developing techniques to help remove plastic particles from our environment. Cooperative Energy Solutions is working to identify best practices at every level from individual households to the planetary scale. We're ready to work with others to test and demonstra

Nature-based solutions use proven techniques for protecting land and water resources,  using nature as a model and guide . These options can work better in dozens of ways that help grow community wealth while enhancing our environment and avoiding the need for more costly alternatives. Everyone is invited to learn the basics of these ideas, and help grow and spread these smarter solutions in our own neighborhoods and communities. Let’s help teach others, so these ideas can g

Everyone is invited to contribute to the on-line, open-source solutions library that is under construction at the Appropedia web site. Appropedia is "the appropriate and sustainable technologies Wiki," at https://www.appropedia.org . This project was started by Tom Stanton, of Community Energy Solutions. This project has now been formally adopted by three major sponsors thus far. Participants include Appropedia (the Appropriate and Sustainable Technologies Wiki), Global Eco

Are you familiar with those visualization technique types? There’s an online “visual thesaurus” at “visual thesaurus.com”. I clipped this image today: Figure 1: Visual Thesaurus Sample Image Think about "Data Center" in the center, and what each direct effect topic can be named in that first ring out from what effectively becomes a "nucleus" for an idea or mental model. This example shows a special kind of "radial bar chart." This kind of diagram depicts relationships betw

Vehicle fleets often represent a significant expense for organizations, whether they belong to businesses, municipalities, or nonprofits. Yet, these fleets hold untapped potential to become sources of revenue and community benefits. By rethinking how fleets are managed and utilized, organizations can turn these assets into profit makers that support local development, create jobs, and improve services to fleet owners and operators and to their host communities. Community Ener

Communities thrive when they receive meaningful benefits from local projects, policies, and programs. Yet, many local initiatives fall short of delivering real value to their host communities and area residents. To change this, communities and organizations must adopt clear practices, well-designed policies, strategic plans, and targeted programs that focus on tangible outcomes. This post explores how to maximize community benefits by using these tools effectively, with pract

Michigan Dark Sky Education & Demonstration My Project 2025-05 is about Dark Sky Park and Dark Sky Sanctuary Promotion in Michigan....

Community Energy Solutions, LLC, is a supporter of the 2025 Michigan Climate Action Summit, held at the Lansing Center on September 9. Principal Researcher Tom Stanton gave this five-minute "Flash Talk" presentation at the conference. The handout and text of the presentation are included here. Links to more details about many topics are included. Cover slide for presentation. Thank you all for being here today. I am going to talk with you now for just 5 minutes about how w

The first ever Michigan tour was a great success. A brief summary explains about each place we visited, and highlights the many lessons learned and successful practices already underway in Michigan. You can see the summary report in the FILE SHARE pages on this web site. Please use your mouse to hover over the PROJECTS tab, then click on FILE SHARE, then the PROJECTS tab there. You will see a link to the PDF Copy of the file there. Please reply with your contact information

Explore Michigan examples of sustainability, resilience, and restoration.  All Michigan existing and planned ecovillages are invited to participate, and anyone interested in neighborhood, village, and community based development, sustainability, restoration, and resilency are invited, too. We welcome input from everyone about topics and presenters for discussion.   Community Energy Solution's Tom Stanton is working on multiple projects centered around Ecovillages and Inten

Dr. Debra Hendrickson is a Reno, Nevada, pediatrician who has published a 2024 book entitled, "The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on...

A friend just reminded me of this. They wrote: Michigan State University recently trumpeted  its return on investments(ROI) for their...