California's Green
We all know how important it is to preserve and protect our fragile natural environment. With ever-greater and faster population growth and development staring us in the face, it's more critical now than ever to live in harmony with the environment by preserving clean air, conserving water, and dealing with issues like recycling and open spaces. Huell Howser highlights what innovative and creative Californians are doing to solve environmental challenges and provides viewers with knowledge and practical ideas that they can implement in their daily lives.
- 2004-2011
- 1 season
- California Public Television
- Documentary
We all know how important it is to preserve and protect our fragile natural environment. With ever-greater and faster population growth and development staring us in the face, it's more critical now than ever to live in harmony with the environment by preserving clean air, conserving water, and dealing with issues like recycling and open spaces. Huell Howser highlights what innovative and creative Californians are doing to solve environmental challenges and provides viewers with knowledge and practical ideas that they can implement in their daily lives.
Season 1 Episode Guide
10 Episodes 2004 - 2011
Episode 12
Solar Fest
Wed, Oct 27, 2004 28 mins
Huell attends SolFest in Hopland at Solar Living Institute, a nonprofit organization promoting sustainable living through education. He discovers exciting products for individuals to practice a healthy lifestyle and use renewable energy.
Episode 16
Vegetable Oil Car
Fri, Apr 22, 2005 28 mins
Huell goes to Ojai to meet Joel and Rebecca Woolf whose company, VegPowered Systems, offers a conversion system that allows cars and trucks with diesel engines to run on used cooking oil discarded by local restaurants.
Episode 27
Vintage Electric Cars
Wed, Mar 7, 2007 28 mins
Huell goes to The Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar where he learns that cars with alternatives to internal combustion engines are nothing new. He rides in early 20th century automobiles driven by steam, electric motors, and hybrid drivetrains.
Episode 28
Bluebirds
Wed, Jun 20, 2007 26 mins
Huell joins members of Southern California Bluebird Club in Orange County as they place and monitor nest boxes in urban green space for bluebirds, and other cavity nesting birds, thus restoring habitat otherwise lost to human encroachment.
Episode 29
Orange Conservancy
Tue, Aug 21, 2007
Huell goes to Inland Orange Conservancy in Redlands to learn how this organization is connecting local citrus farmers with the community who doesn't want to see the last remnants of the citrus industry bulldozed in the name of "progress".
Episode 30
Green Businesses
Thu, Feb 14, 2008
Huell goes to two businesses in Arcata that use recycled material to create beautiful, functional art: Whit McLeod Furniture craftsmen turn wine barrels into furniture and Fire and Light artists turn old bottles into gifts and dinnerware.
Episode 32
Wind Power
Thu, Feb 11, 2010
Huell gets a private tour of a wind farm in Southern California's Coachella Valley. The Palm Springs Windmill Tour shows us the history, technology, and economic benefits of wind as a natural power source.
Episode 34
Gills Onions
Tue, Jul 6, 2010
Huell goes to family-run Gills Onions, the state's largest onion processing plant and also the greenest. They convert over 150 tons of onion peel and juice waste daily to power fuel cells that provide power for lights and refrigeration.
Episode 35
Geothermal
Fri, Sep 10, 2010 27 mins
Huell heads south to the small town of Heber to visit Ormat Technologies geothermal power plant. From the earliest native peoples to mud loving spa enthusiasts, the area around the Salton Sea has a rich history in using the hot water bubbling up from the ground. Along the way, Huell briefly stops at some geothermal mud pots and the mineral baths at Fountain of Youth Spa. At his ultimate stop, he gets an education in how Ormat harnesses geothermal energy and uses it to generate electricity in a clean and renewable way.
Episode 36
Refrigerators
Sun, Jan 23, 2011
Huell goes on a "green" adventure to find out how all the old refrigerators that are thrown away each day are recycled. He follows an old fridge from a home all the way through the entire process.