Gun control is once again a current topic; it’s a theme that recurs in the U.S. on a regular basis as new mass shooting every few days claims more innocent lives, and leaves a new stream of grief and anger in its wake. (more…)
As far as I can discern, Americans are unique in the world for their capacity to vote against their own interests. This is not some weird speculation; it’s a subject that has been thoroughly explored by people a heck of a lot smarter than I’ll ever be. In fact, here are 33.9 million webpages on the topic. (more…)
When I look at photos of U.S. cities taken in the early 20th Century, I like to guess the year before I look at the caption–and I’m almost always correct within a few years. How? The ratio of cars to horses, which changed dramatically in such very short period of time that it’s a piece of cake to tell the difference between, say, 1910 and 1915.
If you think Trump’s picks to develop and implement environmental policy couldn’t get worse, looks like you were wrong.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Kathleen Hartnett White will lead the Council on Environmental Quality, which helps create and implement national policy. (more…)
Going camping or canoeing and want to make sure you can get the 0.005 kWhs required to charge your cell phone? Well, you have a few choices:
a) Pack in this device I just came across, the Waterlily, a two-pound turbine, available from AmazingStuff.com for $119, that can be driven by either wind or water, mounted where the wind is blowing or a stream may be running. Maybe drag it from the back of your canoe (as shown). (more…)
China sits atop the world in most important environmental categories. (more…)
Nuclear energy enthusiasts should be happy to see so much research and development going into this space. There are several different directions nuclear seems to be headed, one of which is smaller, modular reactors that can be deployed to provide power to small regions, virtually eliminating line loss, which is typically 5 – 7%. (more…)
In response to my post yesterday on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s purge of scientists who refuse to toe the line of the fossil fuel industry, frequent commenter MarcoPolo writes: (EPA Administrator) Scott Pruitt, like everyone else in the U.S. Federal Public Service is being required to downsize and streamline those agencies which have grown excessively bloated, or bureaucratic. (His) policy is very clear. The EPA will no longer provide sinecures for politically activist employees or advisory panels.
You are correct that the “drain the swamp” mantra is the guise under which this is happening. (more…)
As you prepare for winter, it is important to check whether your HVAC system is working properly. In addition, you should also consider effective ways of saving energy and protecting the environment during those cold months. While insulating your home and investing in energy efficient units are sure ways of lowering your utility bills, here is what you can do to make your current system energy efficient. (more…)
The concept of a “purge” implies the removal all elements that may act to impede the progress of a ruling authority. The most famous examples in recent history have been the USSR’s Joseph Stalin, who imprisoned and executed citizens accused of plotting against Communism, Mao Zedong’s purge as part of the Cultural Revolution, Fidel Castro’s removal of those who had previously been involved with the Batista regime, and what’s still happening in Turkey after the failed 2016 Turkish coup d’état. In addition to Turkey, China, Egypt, Iran, Bahrain, Eritrea, and Syria regularly imprison journalists in an effort to stifle dissenting views. (more…)
