As we’ve noted a few times over the years here, Royal Dutch Shell seems to be by far the most progressive of the world’s major oil companies. Here’s an article discussing Shell’s CEO Ben van Beurden (who recently traded in his clean-diesel car for an EV) and his observation that the world really is moving away from petroleum in favor of electric transportation. (more…)
For all you geologists who study the macro-effects of climate change, here’s a recent article from Science Magazine on the loss of ice in Western Antarctica. (more…)
It’s the birthday of French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville who came to the U.S. about half a century after it was formed to observe and critique its fledgling democracy. Amazed with what he saw, he wrote in his book Democracy in America (1835): “There is one thing which America demonstrates invincibly, and of which I had been in doubt up till now: it is that the middle classes can govern a state. (more…)
Here’s something of such little note, I won’t blame you for skipping it altogether: The Republican-dominated House of Representatives has voted to cut funding for wind and efficiency in half, while expanding research into fossil fuels. (more…)
You don’t need to be an environmental enthusiast to understand the benefits of an environmentally-friendly home. A green home is not only beneficial to your planet, but it also saves you lots of money in the end. Using less energy translates to financial stability. Here are some approaches for making your home greener. (more…)
As I suggested the other day, it’s useful to look at the nauseating, minute-by-minute drama happening in the White House as an artful distraction, much like a magician’s misdirecting his audience. We need to ask ourselves: What’s happened quietly, behind the pandemonium as the U.S. president plays the role of the petulant child, running amok, gleefully taking a machete to what’s left of our democracy?
Answer: The quiet onslaught continues against many of the things Americans cherish most deeply, proceeding silently and unabated, with amazing precision. (more…)
Whether you keep abreast of global issues or not, chances are you will be aware of global warming and the threat that it poses to our planet. Polar ice caps are rapidly melting due to steadily increasing global temperatures, and if it doesn’t stop soon then we could be looking at nothing short of a global catastrophe. (more…)
8/26/11 1:56:14 PM — Music Director Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conclude their performance of Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration during their first concert on tour. © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2011
Here’s an article that suggests the forces of pure market economics are all that are necessary to replace gas and diesel powered cars and trucks with electric vehicles. Of course, this is the thesis of most of what I’ve written over the last couple of years, e.g., Bullish on Renewable Energy. (more…)
Here’s a note to the commenters who say that I seem to write an awful lot of “anti-Trump rants” lately.
Yes, a lot of my recent pieces have been “anti-Trump,” but it’s important to point out that they’re really about the entire phenomenon. While, of course, Trump himself is at the center, there’s so much more to this whole regrettable period of U.S. history; it comes along with components that enabled it to happen in the first place, and others consequences that follow from it, together making the whole “Trump thing” much more terrifying for the U.S.–and the world population–than the mere presidency itself. (more…)
Home renovations don’t only require much time and effort but they also require much money to spend.
We all want to look our house better so we allocate a bigger amount of our monthly budget for our savings to cover the renovation cost. (more…)
