Al Gore’s ‘Our Choice’ Book App Could Revolutionize Publishing

Just after Earth Day, Rodale and Push Pop Press released the Our Choice app for iPad and iPhone. Our Choice is an interactive, 18-chapter e-book about all aspects of climate change (evidence, causes, possible solutions), featuring color photos, videos, interactive graphics, and animations.

The print version of Al Gore’s “Our Choice” was published in November 2009.

This e-book app is just incredible! Although I had to download and install it twice before it would work (be sure you have a high-speed connection), and pay $4.99, it was well worth it.

The many videos, animations, and interactive graphics—just slide your finger over them to get more info about each part of the graphic—enrich the reading and learning experience in an amazing way. Instead of just reading about the Great Smog of 1952 in London, for example, you can tap a video and watch a BBC report—and actually see what the smog looked like and how poor visibility was. (The smog lasted for five days and killed 12,000 people.)

Similarly, the app includes animations explaining concepts such as how the two types of solar power work, and how wind power is generated. In the latter, you can actually blow into the iPad’s microphone to make the wind turbine spin! (View demo video of the app)

The interactive graphics cover statistics such as wind power generation—but instead of being a flat graph, you can tap the graphic to see the 5-year trend or the latest year, as well as installed capacity, power generated, power per capita, and percent of consumption for the leading wind power nations.

It’s jam-packed with info, but it’s fun to use!

I highly recommend it if you’re a climate or publishing geek.

For now, green energy cheaper than brown energy in Md.

One benefit of the economic slowdown, in Maryland at least, is that green energy (wind power) is now less expensive than the traditional, "brown" energy mix of coal and nuclear power.

Clean Currents, a Rockville-based clean energy broker/aggregator, offers a residential energy package called Chesapeake Green. It comes in two options: 50 percent wind power or 100 percent wind power. Right now, both cost less than Pepco and BGE's rates in Maryland.

I got an e-mail today from an environmental group noting that this is the first time ever that green power has been cheaper than brown power in Maryland. Even though I already have 50 percent wind power at my house, I was intrigued and decided to call Clean Currents to get the scoop.

I spoke to Brian Eglsaer, operations manager for Clean Currents. He said that Maryland Pepco customers are paying about 11.7-12 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity, and BG&E customers are paying about 11.8 cents per kwH. Clean Currents offers rates as low as 11.1 cents per kwH. Eglsaer estimates you can save 5 percent on your bill now by switching to Clean Currents, and in the summer when Pepco and BG&E rates go up, you can save 8-15 percent. He said this would probably come out to $5-10 per bill.

The benefit is that you're using clean energy and helping to reduce pollution, slow down climate change and be a part of the transition to a greener nation.

Eglsaer says his company can offer lower rates because the big utilities locked in prices before the economic downturn, but now energy prices are less expensive -- and as a small company, Clean Currents is a bit more nimble and was able to work out lower rates. He said they've been offering these rates for a few months and they might only last for a few months more, so check it out soon.

Taking green to the extreme can cause friction in some homes

The Post has a story this morning about how some couples have disagreements over which steps to take to green their lives. Many are willing to green some of their habits, but folks have their limits -- and some don't want to go to what the Post calls "extremes."

Examples: One woman drives a hybrid car, but knows her husband will criticize her for "only" getting 42 mpg, so she resets the mpg counter after each drive. Another conflict arises over whether or not to clean and re-use plastic carryout food containers. Still another feud brews over whether or not to re-use shower water to do laundry.

I applaud everyone who takes even a small step to green up their lives, because all of the little things will add up and help homeowners save resources such as energy, water, food -- and save a bit of money in the process. But I think we need to keep things in perspective: In terms of climate change (and other environmental issues), industry contributes the lion's share of emissions and impacts. The way America is going to help reduce climate impacts is to encourage the development of clean energy sources and delivery, make our buildings more energy efficient, and to green other industries so they produce fewer emissions and less waste.

Individuals can take steps in two main areas to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints: Home energy use and transportation. Make your home more energy efficient in any small way that you can afford. Then try to drive less, use public transit more, and when you buy a car, choose the one with the best mpg for your needs. If you don't need an SUV, van or pickup truck every day, consider renting one when you do need it, rather than buying one.

As NRDC scientist Allen Hershkowitz told me in an interview last year for a story I wrote for the National Geographic Channel web site, addressing environmental challenges will take millions of small steps by millions of people, organizations, companies and goverments. Any little thing you can do helps. I say if you're getting 42 mpg in your hybrid, that's great. The U.S. fleet average is like 27, so you're doing 50 percent better than average. Don't sweat it -- but maybe get your neighbor or cousing to buy a hybrid, too.

Hershkowitz also told me that we should all do everthing we can, in terms of buying greener products, reducing waste and energy use, etc. But he also noted that it's a process of small refinements. I agree with this: Take a small step now and next month see what else you can do. I also think we don't all have to be environmental champions and max out right away, but if we can take small steps every month or every year, we'll all be better off.