“MyLifeElsewhere allows you to compare your home country with different countries around the world. Ever wonder what your life would be like if you were born somewhere else?”
Did you know that with 1/30th the territory of the United States, Norway still has over 25% more coastline? I didn’t either until I compared Norway to the United States using My Life Elsewhere. This site is designed allow United States students to imagine how their lives might be different if they were born in a different part of the world. Student would probably die 21 years earlier if they were born in Liberia and 11 times more likely to have died in infancy. Students would be 43.8% less likely to grow up and be unemployed and have 36.3% less babies if they were born in Taiwan. This side-by-side format is a great way to help students help make these statistics real and meaningful. One major drawback: this site only allows users to compare a country to the United States. If you prefer to have students compare, say Cuba to the United Arab Emirates, I would recommend that you try If It Where My Home.


By Nancy Krasa
Publisher: Brookes Publishing; 1 edition (April 3, 2009)
How do children learn math—and why do some children struggle with it? The answers are in Number Sense and Number Nonsense, a straightforward, reader-friendly book for education professionals and an invaluable multidisciplinary resource for researchers. More than a first-ever research synthesis, this highly accessible book brings math difficulties into clear focus, helping educators and psychologists get inside students’ heads so they can devise the best way to help children learn. Clinical psychologist Nancy Krasa and middle-school teacher Sara Shunkwiler combine their expertise for an eye-opening exploration of how the brain works during the many complex facets of math learning.


by Filip Tkaczyk
The wet, cool and moderate Pacific Northwest weather is a powerful force in shaping the ecology of the land. Understanding its patterns and how they change throughout the seasons is a vital skill to anyone who is serious about learning to enjoy the outdoors and especially for those interested in wilderness survival. The weather patterns present a unique assortment of challenges and blessings on the lands of the Pacific Northwest. It affects all aspects of the lives of the people who live in this region, and also strongly influences each area of curriculum at Alderleaf Wilderness College.
Lay of the Land
To understand the Pacific Northwest weather, you must first understand its geography. Large mountain ranges cross this land in several places, the largest being the Cascade Range which stretches from northern California, through Oregon and Washington, and reaching into southern British Columbia. This range of mountains acts both as a rain trap and a rain barrier. On the western slopes of the Cascades, rainfall is high from 40 to over 80 inches per year. Meanwhile, on the eastern slopes it is much lower and decreases as you travel further east and lower in elevation, from about 30 to less than 20 inches. The relatively dry, semi-arid region east of this mountain range is called the Columbia plateau. This region can see less than 15 inches of rain annually! This dramatic climatic impact of the mountains is known as the “rain-shadow effect.”
Smaller coastal mountain ranges such as the Olympic Range can show similar effects on a more localized level.
Where does it come from?
Warm, moisture laden air travels from out of the Pacific ocean to the Southwest of the region and moves inland as it arrives at the Pacific Northwest. From fall through springtime, this often carries with it the rains that many associate with Pacific Northwest weather. Generally, the dominant weather patterns for most of the year come from the Pacific ocean, following the dominant wind direction in this region. This can vary somewhat on a more localized scale.
In the late fall, winter and early spring, weather that comes from the Northwest and travels inland often carries with it snow. While in the summer, this same weather is a harbinger of warm, clear days.
Very cold weather comes from the Northeast, from the interior of the continent. This weather is driven by the very cold air that comes out of the Great Plains, flows over the Rocky Mountains to the east, fills the Columbia basin like a giant bowl until it overflows over the Cascade range and into the usually more moderately cool regions west of the mountains. Often, snow may follow on the arrival of such a cold spell.
Rain in summer?
It is true that Pacific Northwest weather is very unpredictable, and even the best forecasters can be wrong about what it will do on a day to day, let alone week to week basis! Rain and cloud cover are a staple of the weather in the region west of the Cascade mountains, and even the warm summertime season may be interspersed with periods of rain.
From the survival standpoint, being prepared for wet and cool weather at just about any time of year is wise. Spending time safely in the outdoors in this region requires good planning and good equipment. The higher elevations in the mountains get significant amounts of snowfall each year and can be drastically colder than the lowland valleys during winter.
Working with the weather
Given the active, hands-on and outdoor focused curriculum at Alderleaf, a good understanding of local weather and how to respond to it is key to the success of the school’s programs. Each of the 6 areas of curriculum is strongly affected by the Pacific Northwest weather, which includes: wildlife tracking, naturalist studies, ethnobotany, wilderness survival, permaculture and nature-based education.
Wildlife Tracking is the study of the tracks and sign left behind by wildlife. The abundant waters of the region create many places to find clear tracks, such as muddy or sand areas along rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands. The nearly annual flooding caused by the impact of high rainfall events on major rivers can create a tracking bonanza. The fine silt deposited by these flood events can be perfect for capturing and holding the tracks left by the passing of even the tiniest wildlife. The saturated soils during the fall, winter and springtime also help hold the more subtle compression tracks left in the duff in the woodlands and forests, allowing trackers to more easily follow the trails left behind by animals such as deer or bears.
Naturalist studies are focused on the local flora, fauna and
general ecology of the region, of which the Pacific Northwest weather is a
major influencing force. The effects of
the rain shadow on the variety, distribution and diversity of the plants, fungi
and animals found in this region are very dramatic. On the western slopes and further West of the
Cascades, many landscapes are covered in moss-laden coniferous forests. Many animals and plants are specially adapted
to live and grow in the cool, moist and relatively mild climate of this
area. East of the Cascades, a completely
different community of animals, plants and fungi live together in a drastically
dryer and more extreme environment. This incredible diversity, which includes temperate rain forests, glaciers and semi-arid lands is all found in a relatively small area and can only exist because of the annual patterns of weather.
Ethnobotany - which is the study of human relationships with plants - is shaped completely by the Pacific Northwest weather. The amount of rain that falls in various areas throughout the region determines what kinds of plants can grow there. Even a difference of a few inches can mean the presence of one plant and the absence of another. Due to the abundant moister, plant growth can be explosive during the warmer parts of the year. Many berry producing plants grow in the region, and are a source of wild foods for those who know about them. The fall rains bring another natural bounty: wild edible mushrooms.
Wilderness Survival demands a clear understanding of Pacific Northwest weather. In order to survive in this climate, you must be able to reliably create a fire. Also, knowing where to seek shelter or how to create it is vital. Exposure is the greatest killer in the wilderness areas of the Pacific Northwest. Wearing the proper clothing in this rainy region is very helpful, especially wool or synthetic clothing. Though more well-known for its wetness, the Pacific Northwest includes some impressive mountain ranges. The high elevation mountain environments can be punishingly cold in the winter. On glaciated peaks, freezing to death is a real possibility even in the middle of summer. Given the rich and varied landscape of the region, it is an important survival skill to know how to navigate using map, compass and other tools.
Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that mimic and learn from the relationships found in natural systems. It works with the land and the weather of a region to provide for the needs of humans while also helping rehabilitate disturbed land. The mild temperatures, and abundant rain makes for great growing conditions for many kinds of cultivated foods. The only limiting factor West of the Cascades is the amount of sun, which needs to be collected and utilized whenever possible to maximize growth. The rain can be harvested in water catchment systems, and then fed to gardens during the drier periods of summer.
Nature-based education is intimately connected to the experiences of being on the land and in the weather of the Pacific Northwest. The frequently shifting weather adds richness and drama to the teaching environment of the outdoors. Getting muddy, soaked by rain and exploring the moss-covered wonderland of this region is an inspiration in and of itself. Due to its often milder temperatures and moisture, the Pacific Northwest is a perfect place to teach nature-based education. There is such a rich landscape of different textures, colors, smells, as well as flora and fauna.
To learn more about how to survive and thrive in the Pacific Northwest weather, please check out our: Wilderness Survival Course.


A new collection of number chart 1-200 is available for your children as their media to learn how to count and memorize numbers in order.
This handful of charts of number 1-200 is ready to save and print to be used to help your kids them learning about numbers. The first chart is posted in the following image!
The blue number chart 1-200 posted above is available in high quality that allows you to print it in larger size. In learning number, counting is the primary step to make children understand the order of the numbers. You can ask your kids to practice counting numbers from 1 to 200 and after they have done memorizing the numbers, you can give them the number worksheets and ask them to complete the blank space on the charts.
There are many other kinds of number chart sheets that you can save and print to assist your children in learning numbers from 1 to 200. These charts were made in eye catching and adorable pictures that will make your children interested in learning. Just simply click on the picture to enlarge and save it.
Don’t forget to print these number charts as your children’s media in developing their knowledge in numbers!


For several years now, my friend and colleague, Chris Brown, and I have been studying the tiger beetles (family Cicindelidae) of Missouri in an attempt to characterize the faunal composition and in-state distributions of the included species. Our studies have relied on examination of specimens in museum collections along with several seasons of field work across the state. The data we’ve gathered so far have revealed a fauna that reflects the ecotonal position of Missouri, comprised of elements from the eastern deciduous forest, the southeastern mixed hardwood forests and pinelands, and the western grasslands. These beetles are most frequently associated with disturbed habitats containing sparse vegetation, such as sandbars and erosion cuts, but they also live in other habitats such as along muddy banks, on glades and in forest litter. Since European settlement of Missouri, drastic alterations have occurred in the abundance and distribution of these habitats across the state, and tiger beetle populations have been affected as a result. Dredging and straightening of natural water courses have impacted species that prefer the water’s edge, while fire suppression has impacted those that need dry, open habitats. Grazing has had a profound impact on species associated with sensitive, saline habitats. Conversely, some anthropogenic changes have benefited certain species – road, borrow sand pit and pond construction have increased habitat for species able to utilize such habitats. To date, our surveys have confirmed the presence of 23 species in Missouri (16% of the North American fauna). Some species are common and widespread, such as Cicindela sexguttata (six-spotted tiger beetle) (above, photo taken in a mature white oak forest in Warren Co.). Others have more specific habitat requirements, but their status within the state remains secure. A few are rare and highly localized, primarily representing species at or near the northern or western edge of their distributions that exist in the state as small, disjunct populations. Special conservation efforts may be warrented for these to ensure their continued survival within the state.
One species of potential conservation concern is C. pruinina (loamy-ground tiger beetle), a grassland species normally found in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas (left, photo by Chris Brown). This beetle is sometimes treated as a synonym or subspecies of C. belfragei but was most recently considered a valid species by Spomer et al. (2008). When we began our studies, the species was known from Missouri only by a small series of specimens collected in one of the western counties and deposited in the collection of Ron Huber. An additional specimen in the Huber collection labeled “Columbia, Mo.” is considered to likely represent student mislabeling. Several attempts at relocating the western Missouri population were required before we found it, and intensive surveys to determine the extent of its distribution in Missouri were conducted during 2006 using a combination of pitfall traps and direct observation. Those surveys succeeded in detecting the beetle only along one 2.5-mile stretch of county road in Johnson Co. The beetle seems to be restricted to red clay embankments occurring in a small localized area of the county. This season we plan to refine our survey by focusing tightly on promising habitats in this area near the sites identified in 2006 to more precisely define the distributional limits of this population. Regardless of what we find, the flightless nature of the species, its highly localized Missouri occurrence, and the disjunct nature of such suggest that special conservation status is warranted for the species to ensure its continued presence in the state. Despite the relatively low numbers of individuals we have seen, the protected status of the land on which this beetle lives leaves us optimistic about its future.
A Missouri species about which we are far less optimistic is C. circumpicta johnsonii (saline springs tiger beetle) (right, photo by Chris Brown), long known from saline spring habitats in the central part of the state. The Missouri population is highly disjunct from the main population further west and exhibits a uniform blue-green coloration rather than the mix of blue, green, and red colors exhibited by the main population. These features suggest that separate subspecies status might be warranted for the Missouri population. Numerous historical collection records exist from a handful of sites in Howard and Cooper Counties; however, surveys conducted by us during recent years revealed that the populations had suffered severe declines. This appears to be largely due to cattle disturbance and vegetational encroachment of the sensitive saline spring habitats upon which the beetle depends, especially at sites located on private land. Ron Huber, in a letter to me listing the collecting records he had for this species, reported seeing “hundreds of the wary little buggers” at one locality on private land, but in our visit to the site not a single individual was seen around the spring – badly trampled and overgrown with the exotic pasture grass tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). In all, we were successful in finding the beetle at only one of the historical localities and at one new site located nearby. While both of these sites are located on state protected land, we concluded that the longterm viability of the C. circumpicta johnsonii population in Missouri was in serious jeopardy. Based on our recommendation, the species was placed on the Missouri Species of Conservation Concern Checklist with a ranking of S1 (critically emperiled). While this affords the species legal protection under the Wildlife Code of Missouri, the benefit may be minimal since the Wildlife Code does not address the main threat to this beetle’s survival – habitat degradation. We have not surveyed for this beetle since but plan to make field observations this summer (no trapping!) to check on its status. I sincerely hope we will not have to hang our heads with the realization that we have succeeded in extirpating yet another beautiful and irreplaceable gem.
Last year we finally succeeded in locating C. cursitans (ant-like tiger beetle) in Missouri (left, photo by Chris Brown). Adults are flightless, and at less than 1 cm in length, are among the smallest of North American tiger beetles. The species has been recorded broadly but sporadically between the Appalachians and Great Plains – a distribution that is probably underestimated due to its small size and general resemblance to ants. A significant distributional gap exists between the eastern and Great Plains records, which Ron Huber believes may be indicative of two disjunct forms and potentially two species. Missouri falls within this gap, and although the species has not yet been formally recorded from the state, a single specimen collected in 1991 “nr. Portageville” is deposited in the Enns Entomology Museum, University of Missouri, Columbia. We had made several attempts over the past few years to locate this species by searching what we thought were promising habitats along the Mississippi River near Portageville, but the species was not located until last year, when I relayed this information to Portageville biologist and tiger beetle enthusiast Kent Fothergill. Kent not only located the beetle at the location I suggested, but quickly found another population on a nearby parcel of land managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Hurriedly, we visited the first site and observed a few additional individuals at a nearby location just to the south. The bottomland forest habitat within which all of these individuals were observed is fairly extensive along the Mississippi River in the southeastern lowlands of Missouri, but at this point we can only speculate whether C. cursitans occurs throughout this habitat. Other habitats have been reported for this species, including mesic and wet prairies and meadows (Brust et al. 2005). Such habitats are also found in the southeastern lowlands, and while C. cursitans has not been seen through cursory examinations in such areas, it is possible that the small size, cryptic habits, and narrow temporal occurrence of C. cursitans have allowed it to escape detection. Kent will be helping us this season with additional trapping and direct observation at several selected sites along the Mississippi and St. Francois Rivers to determine whether the beetle occurs more broadly in the southeastern lowlands and whether it utilizes these other habitats in addition to bottomland forests.
I would be most interested in any additional reports of these rare tiger beetles in Missouri (contact me at the email address shown in the left sidebar copyright statement). Remember, C. circumpicta johnsonii is critically emperiled in Missouri – please do not collect it.


Battambang was a flourishing city before the horrific Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, dramatically jeopardized the lives of its inhabitants. Many of them ended up slaughtered in the killing fields or neighbouring killing caves for no reason, whilst others were luckier and made it to close-by Thailand. Most of them spent years in refugee camps under harsh conditions. Kids grew up traumatised with hardly any access to proper education. In 1986, Véronique Decrop, a French art teacher, volunteered at the Site Two Refugee Camp on the Thai-Cambodian border. She used drawings as a therapy to help traumatised children express themselves. That was the spark to what will become Phare Ponleu Selpak (Cambodian for the brightness of the arts), a non-profit organization improving the lives of Cambodians through arts and education, its highlight being one of the best circus schools in the world.
In 1994, a group of eight of these children had grown into young adults and returned to Battambang, their home town. Shocked by the many underprivileged children suffering from trauma, poverty and abuse, they decided to buy a swampy rice field, and build a wooden house in which they started giving drawing classes for free.
23 years later, we are strolling through the wooden building. Fine pieces of art are displayed. Drawings with depth and an interesting perspective decorate the walls. Human sized sculptures block my way and confront me with their philosophical meanings. Different aquarelles, charcoal sketches, portraits and original graphic designs complement the rest of the impressive exhibition that has been entirely created by art students. A bell rings, and kids in uniforms run to their classrooms in different building across campus. Besides the variety of art classes and living arts trainings, about 1,400 four-to-eighteen-year-old pupils are schooled here, following the main trail to obtain their high school degree.
“Parents who cannot afford schooling can apply, and their children are welcome here. We provide lunch for the poorest ones and have opened a library with free access to computers and the Internet for the community.” our guide Megan explains. A wide variety of books in different languages are displayed and a five year-old boy eagerly turns the pages of a colourful book, clearly not bothered by our presence.
A group of boys with smiling familiar faces hurry past us towards a large gymnastics hall. We cannot suppress our enthusiasm, and rush after them to attend the practice: “We have seen these teenagers perform last night, and they are extremely talented!” Megan smiles, and highlights the fact that some of the former students are now traveling the world as performers at the ground-breaking Cirque du Soleil. Remembering the quality of the show we attended the night before on campus, we are not surprised! The Cambodian circus show is a mix of true passion, talent and teamwork, and attaining this level of professionalism requires hard work and dedication. Kids can learn circus: acrobatics, music, drama, aerial ballet, tightrope walking, dancing, vaulting, juggling and more… The most dedicated and talented students perform in evening shows for locals and tourists in Battambang. Tickets sold fund the school, and the experience is paramount for them to practice their skills and maybe to become a circus performer at Phare the Cambodian circus in Siem Reap, or the Cirque du Soleil.
Their excellent and experienced choreography, music and arts teachers have the same objective: guiding all students to a job that suits their skills. The Phare Ponleu Selpak campus contributes highly to helping Cambodians be proud of their roots while introducing its vibrancy to the world.
Waving back to Megan, we jump into a bus on our way to Siem Reap. Very impressed by the performance we attended and the visit of the Phare Ponleu Selpak campus, we cannot wait to see what the graduated students can come up with. The Phare, the Cambodian circus show in Siem Reap is already in our agendas!
Claire & Marcella
- Attending a show on the Campus is a valid reason to come to Battambang! Please refer to Phare Ponleu Selpak to order tickets and check out our interactive map for the exact location.
- A campus visit is also very interesting and comes highly recommended.
- Donations are accepted to support the organization.
- For more great things to do in Battambang and a great day out of exploring the traditional crafts of Cambodia, please refer to the fantastic Mr. Ola!
- Check out this interactive map for the specific details to help you plan your trip and more articles and photos (zoom out) about the area!
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The Wako vanadate oxidation method for bilirubin measurement is unaffected by haemoglobin (≤500mg/dL) or ascorbic acid (≤50mg/dL), both of which can push diazo methods off-target.
New born babies lack the intestinal bacteria that help process bilirubin and neonatal bilirubineamia is a common condition. Typically this resolves itself in a couple of days. However, in some instances, the bilirubineamia is a result of red blood cell destruction caused by new born and maternal blood type incompatibilities or other genetic factors. In these cases it is important that the bilirubin levels do not get too high because excess bilirubin damages developing brain cells in young babies and can cause mental retardation, physical abnormalities or blindness.
Bilirubin in Adults
Bilirubin tests are used to assess liver function in adults. Typically bilirubin is measured alongside other liver disease markers to aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of cirrhosis, hepatitis or gallstones. For example, bilirubin is measured together with hyaluronic acid,α-2-macroglobulin and γ-glutamyl transferase as part of the Hepascore algorithm for liver fibrosis.
The vanadate oxidation method for bilirubin was developed by Wako. Bilirubin is oxidised to biliverdin and the change in absorbance as measured in the yellow part of the spectrum is used to calculate the bilirubin content of the sample. The method is unaffected by haemoglobin (≤500mg/dL) or ascorbic acid (≤50mg/dL), both of which can push diazo methods off-target.
Both the Direct and Total Bilirubin assays utilise the vanadate oxidation principle offering excellent performance with minimal interference to deliver clear, reliable answers when it matters.
Bilirubin is a product of haem catabolism excreted in bile and urine. Small amounts of bilirubin are present in the blood as a result of damaged and dead red blood cells which are disposed of via the spleen. As the erythrocytes are broken down the haeme is turned into unconjugated or indirect bilirubin. Unconjugated bilirubin is water insoluble and is bound to albumin in the blood and transported to the liver. Here the indirect bilirubin is conjugated to glucuronic acid. The resulting conjugated or direct bilirubin is water soluable and much of this goes into the bile and therefore into the small intestine.
The Diazo reaction was described by Ehrlich 1883 and first applied to the determination of bilirubin by van den Bergh and Muller in 1916. Diazo based methods using different chemical accelerators have been widely used ever since. However, Diazo based protocols are prone to negative interference from haemoglobin which presents a danger that results below the true value may be reported. In contrast, high levels of Ascorbic acid can falsely elevate the test result.


Aluminum number plate refers to the sign and name plate products made of aluminum raw materials, which are collectively referred to as aluminum number plate .Actually the kinds of aluminum plate is not a single, common types with aluminum wire cutting, stamping, concave and convex, etching, oxidation, laser engraving, reflective film, screen printing, four-color offset printing, thermal transfer, luminous printing and aluminium alloy die casting molding.The best results can be customized according to different manufacturing process when choosing aluminum number plate products.
Description of aluminum number plate making:
1. Machining of line cutting machine: according to the specification and shape of aluminum plate, the surface can be sprayed with oil, printing and engraving, suitable for the thickness of aluminum plate and high precision products.
2. Stamping production: press the stamping machine and product mould to press the aluminum sheet into shape.Then the semi-finished product spray oil, sandblasting, electroplating, high light (drawing), or polishing the plating, oil spraying processing.The surface effect can be determined according to the actual type and the content of the design. The stamping process is used to make high-gloss aluminum plate and surface polishing plate aluminum.Concave and convex effect: aluminum plate concave and convex making and stamping process are the same, but the working principle is in the opposite direction of concave and convex processing.It can be used for high gloss, printing, plating, spraying, etching and engraving.
3. Etching and oxidation: using the required thickness of aluminum plate, etching or oxidation can be required according to the process document.The color of the content can be painted or printed to achieve the color effect. The aluminum plate of the running water series can be finished by laser engraving.
4. Reflective coating: that is, the reflective aluminum number plate will be used for the laminating of the reflecting film of the aluminum plate that has been cut or washed, and then the screen printing or painting treatment.
5. The printing production: aluminium plate with wider range of printing craft, whether it is flat, concave and convex, stamping, die-casting molding can use silk screen printing, four-color offset printing, thermal transfer, luminous, reflective printing, print color.
6. Aluminum alloy die-casting: using mechanical and die casting moulding, according to drawing documents, make all kinds of curved, tapered, three-dimensional, concave and convex shapes.The surface effect is full, delicate and beautiful, the blank is fine polished and the gloss is good, can be electroplated.The hollow parts can be filled with paint, drops of glue, and the letterpress is suitable for printing process.


This, therefore, will serve as a sketch of the milestones of human progress. The way has been long and painful; the results have been far from satisfactory; and yet they have been enormous and wonderful, when we compare them now with what our ancestors were when history began. We can conclude, however, from looking back on this thorny and upward path, that it is still going to ascend; we do not know it for certain; progress may cease, through some unknown law, now and here; but if there is anything that we can derive from the lesson of the past—if we can project into the future any of the facts which history shows us are our own now—it guides us forward to a firm belief that the hereafter will have in its breast greater treasures for humanity, greater glories for posterity, than any that we know or can understand.
* * * * *
TOMBS OF THE FIRST EGYPTIAN DYNASTY.
[Footnote 1: The Independent.]
By Ludwig Borchardt, Ph.D., Director of the German School in Cairo.
For many years various European collections of Egyptian antiquities have contained a certain series of objects which gave archaeologists great difficulty. There were vases of a peculiar form and color, greenish plates of slate, many of them in curious animal forms, and other similar things. It was known, positively, that these objects had been found in Egypt, but it was impossible to assign them a place in the known periods of Egyptian art. The puzzle was increased in difficulty by certain plates of slate with hunting and battle scenes and other representations in relief in a style so strange that many investigators considered them products of the art of Western Asia.
The first light was thrown on the question in the winter of 1894-95 by the excavations of Flinders Petrie in Ballas and Neggadeh, two places on the west bank of the Nile, a little below ancient Thebes. This persevering English investigator discovered here a very large necropolis in which he examined about three thousand graves. They all contained the same kinds of pottery and the same slate tablets mentioned above, and many other objects which did not seem to


For obvious reasons, anyone who benefits from the generation and distribution of energy produced by fossil fuels has nothing to gain from the expanded use of renewable energy. For example, law requires utility companies to accept excess energy produced by consumer solar energy producers, a process called net metering, and pay them at the “retail” rate. Utilities argue that this rate doesn’t cover their fixed costs for transporting and delivering power, such as wires, poles, meters and other infrastructure, so these costs are shifted to non-solar customers.
In addition, solar users still use power from the grid when solar power isn't sufficient or available, on cloudy days for example. Utilities companies believe solar producers should be paid at the lower “wholesale” rate, or better yet, not at all. However, attacking solar power directly would be a public relations nightmare, so renewables opponents are taking a different route: initiatives at the ballot box.
A referendum in Florida is a classic example of this type of action. In August, Florida residents were presented with a choice of adding Amendment 4 to the state constitution that offered property tax breaks for residents and businesses who install solar panels and eliminate a tax on solar equipment. While residential customers already enjoyed tax relief from an earlier measure earlier in 2016, Amendment 4 added commercial and industrial customers as well.
Amendment 4 faced little opposition -- the legislature unanimously approved placing the question on the ballot -- and voters approved it 72.62% to 27.38%. These incentives are almost certain to increase solar panel installations in Florida, which although blessed with abundant sunshine gets only about 5% of its energy from renewables, mostly biomass not solar. Analysts nevertheless predict that renewables could account for 33% of total state energy capacity by 2023.
Faced with the approval of Amendment 4, the state’s utilities along with ExxonMobil, Duke Energy, Gulf Power and other groups threw everything they had into getting another constitutional Amendment question (Amendment 1) added to the November ballot. Amendment 4 would give residents the right to produce solar energy (currently already provided by state statute) into the state constitution, and let state and local governments ensure that residents who choose not to produce solar power would never be required to subsidize its production.
However, it didn’t take long for opponents to discover what it would really do if approved. Although Amendment 1 was written to appear “pro-solar”, it was mostly the opposite. As residents have the right through state law to own or lease solar panels, adding it to the constitution would adding no additional protection. The fossil camp claimed that enshrining it in the constitution would keep unscrupulous businesses from wreaking havoc, as has been the case Arizona. Opponents noted that this not happening in Florida and that the state would never allow it to.
More insidious was the fact that the amendment could also allow lawmakers to prohibit net metering, as it could be construed as subsidizing solar power production. If lawmakers did so, utilities could refuse to pay for excess power or reduce payments from the retail to wholesale rate, which would benefit their bottom lines.
This resulted in a massive onslaught from opponents of the measure, who stated that the real goal of Amendment 1 was to make sure utility companies maintained their control of the energy market. The outcries for voting “no” ranged from a huge number of local and national organizations, businesses, media, as well as noteworthy Floridians like Jimmy Buffett, author Carl Hiassen, and former governor Bob Graham.
Support for the amendment was strong almost until election day, but opponents were able to show that it was bought and paid for by the fossil fuel industry and its supporters. A leaked recording of someone from the fossil fuel camp admitting that it would “completely negate anything they [the pro-solar camp] would try to do either legislatively or constitutionally down the road”, also helped shed light on the actual purpose of the amendment. Although 50.79% of voters voted yes and only 49.21% voted no, the amendment needs 60% approval to pass.
While the battle in Florida has been won by pro-solar interests, the war is far from over, and the Sunshine State is just one example. Similar contests are taking place in many other states as well, and are increasing in intensity with the popularity of producing energy from the Sun. Until the pro- and anti-solar constituencies can make peace, more of the wrangling Floridians experienced is sure to come.