Where is El Paso on energy sustainability?

 

EL PASO — As the world heats up and the threat of rising sea levels becomes more pressing, unconcerned humans continue to pump dangerous levels of greenhouse gasses into our fragile atmosphere, putting 7.3 billion people at risk of extinction. But some El Paso officials are determined to reduce carbon emissions here and improve the quality of life for all who live in the Sun City. The Office of Resilience and Sustainability was created in 2007 to develop sustainability goals for the city and to plan initiatives that support the entire community while helping to reduce the carbon footprint created by day to day living. “The resilience initiative looks at things through different lenses,” said Nicole Ferrini, Chief Resilience officer for the City of El Paso. “We are looking at the energy question with a triple bottom line: people, planet and profit.”

All procedures city-wide must follow strict guidelines defined in the “Livable City Sustainability Plan” to address the environmental, economic and social impact of future policies and programs.

There are a few programs that are making progress in the city that adhere to these principles and also help to improve the quality of life for all El Pasoans.

What a difference 35 years makes in portable personal music technology

ROCKLEDGE, FL. (1980) — Waiting for my favorite song to play on the radio seemed to take up all my time when I was 10. The cassette player of my hi-fi stereo endured countless hours of wear and tear from keeping the tape paused until the song I wanted to record finally came on. I was just learning about technology, but at that time, I was blown away by the ability to spend my allowance on blank cassette tapes at TG&Y to make mix tapes. I was impressed by the quality of every recording.

Professor credits love of music for shaping his life

The screams of teenage girls filled the air during the Ed Sullivan Show on the cold winter February day in 1964. John Sequeiros, age 10, remembers sitting three feet away from his black and white television, his eyes glued to the screen as four young British musicians made history. His fingers start to twitch as he follows every note he hears. Within moments, he knows exactly why he was put on this earth. “When I saw The Beatles play on The Ed Sullivan Show, I was mesmerized by the guitar players,” said Siqueiros.

How to set up a home recording studio with these 5 basic items, thanks to modern technology

EL PASO — Before digital, building a quality music recording studio meant spending tons of money for gear or paying professional studios $1,200 a session, but advances in recording technology have made it easy for anyone with a computer to create affordable professional recordings at home. “It’s amazing what you can do with today’s technology,” said professional musician David Hamilton, who began his dream of creating a home studio in 1990. “It has taken me over 20 years to get all this,” he said as he pointed to the computers, keyboards, mixers, instruments and other gear filling a converted dining room of his East Side home. Hamilton, who plays bass in several bands – including the popular El Paso retro-disco band Fungi Mungle, uses his 12×12 studio to create recordings for himself as well as a stream of extra income for his family. He has recorded commercials for local businesses as well as session work for other bands, some in other states.

Video: Poppies Fest returns with spring in Franklin Mountains

EL PASO, Texas — The foothills are alive with the spread of golden poppies along Castner Range. Recent rains makes this a good year to see a lot of blooms on the northeast side of the Franklin Mountains, said Deborah Cuilty, executive director of Poppies Fest 2015 at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology. UT El Paso Multimedia Journalism student Robert Smith filed this video report on the April 4 event.