Internet of ThingsHere’s an article on how the IoT applies to smart buildings, in this case, greenhouses for cannabis–yet another sign that “the times they are a’changing.”

Cannabis clearly has medical value, both in pain relief generally and in the treatment of certain conditions, e.g. glaucoma and a range of emotional disorders. (more…)

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We are Running Out of Fresh Water The data is in and it’s definitely not good. Our planet is running out of fresh water at an alarming rate, because our reserves are being depleted before they’ve had time to replenish themselves.

This information is coming directly from NASA satellites that have discovered nearly two-thirds of our largest underground aquifers are in trouble. (more…)

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U.S. Public Needs and Wants Mean Essentially Nothing in CongressIf you’re looking for more evidence that public opinion and law-making have identically zero to do with one other, here’s a case in point: Bernie Sanders is the most popular senator in the U.S. Congress, and Mitch McConnell is the least.  But check out Mitch’s voting record, and you’ll see that he’s gotten pretty much everything he’s asked for recently.

Of many examples we could name, take the approval of climate denier and avowed EPA opponent Scott Pruitt to run the EPA.  What percentage of Americans want environmental restrictions removed and the EPA effectively dismantled?  Damn few.

 

 

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Energy Efficiency and the Manufacturing IndustryThe industrial sector is the subset of the U.S. economy that requires the most energy. U.S. industry uses 30 Quadrillion Btu of energy each year — about a third of all the energy used across the country.

That number’s not surprising since industry produces everything we use in our daily lives. It includes manufacturing, agriculture, construction, mining and water and wastewater treatment. Manufacturing uses the most energy of any industry subdivision — about 85% of industrial energy use. (more…)

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CleanTech Investment Opportunities AboundA friend asks, “If you’re looking to add cleantech stock to your portfolio, is there anything to buy beyond Tesla Inc. (TESLA)? Are there any other decent cleantech investment opportunities?”

 

I would simply refer you to 2GreenEnergy colleague Dr. Tom Konrad (pictured with characteristic quizzical smile), who runs AltEnergyStocks.com, a curated set of recommended equities in this space.  Here’s a list of all the stocks Tom follows at some level.  His particular recommendations are available by scrolling down on his blog.

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If you want to hear that this is the most frightening time in U.S. history, you can simply Google it, and read any of the 5.6 million articles posted on the subject. But if you want to hear it from arguably the world's most intelligent person, Stephen Hawking, click here. This excellent article points out the main reasons that our society is falling apart, as evidenced by the Brexit and the election of Trump, both occasioned by the populist movement of poor and ignorant people who, out of sheer desperation, made choices that will hurt everyone--mostly these voters themselves. Hawking argues that the primary cause of this anguish is the inability of the common person, formerly a member of the middle class, to earn a good living, as a result of the impacts of automation on manufacturing jobs and the advent of the Internet, which enables a few people to make enormous sums of money with very few employees. This results in a the growing gulf between rich and poor, and simultaneously, the defunding of public programs (like the development of new technologies) that could have otherwise ameliorated the situation. Perhaps the scariest part of the whole essay is its conclusion, i.e., that the only route to safety lies in world leaders' humbly admitting that they have not served the masses well at all, and agreeing to relieve tensions between theirs and other nations. Does that sound likely to happen?If you want to hear that this is the most frightening time in U.S. history, you can simply Google it, and read any of the 5.6 million articles posted on the subject.  But if you want to hear it from arguably the world’s most intelligent person, Stephen Hawking, click here.  (more…)

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As designers, architects and engineers continue to learn of the many benefits to the environment related to sustainable communities, the desire for such sociable and workable communities continues to increase. In fact, in the sustainable communities that exist, most of the residents note the return of good neighbor relationships and improved community participation. These are four of the most basic ways that a wise community design will improve sustainability in that area. (more…)

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We're Writing and Calling our Representatives in Congress, Right?Like most of the people reading this post, I write and call my congresspeople frequently, requesting/demanding one thing or another. Here’s the letter I got back from the newly elected U.S. representative from my district in California, Salud Carbajal (for whom I voted), urging him to support the vigorous and honest investigation re: the Russians’ part in bringing Donald Trump to power. (more…)

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A smart storage solution is the most important precondition for having functional space. It enables us to declutter and organize our homes without having to throw away everything. Many people do not associate storage space with sustainability, but they are tightly connected. With fast-paced technological advancements, we have the ability to organize simple, affordable, eco-friendly, and accessible storage. (more…)

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Pope Francis: Jesus Doesn't Like Hypocrisy

There has never been a more politically involved leader of the Catholic Church than Pope Francis, and, the same time,  anyone who chided his followers as ferociously.

Francis points out that, to Jesus, there is no greater sin than hypocrisy, and that calling oneself a Christian while blatantly disobeying the teachings of Christ is hypocritical in the extreme. (more…)

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