I have a theory called the “bifurcation of talent and resources,” meaning the relatively few good things around us are getting better, and the relatively plentiful things around us (e.g., the entirety of the U.S. federal government, corporate business ethics, and mainstream media) are rocketing toward complete degradation. (more…)
The German mathematician and rationalist philosopher Gottfried Leibniz speculated that although this world is clearly not perfect, that it may be the “best of all possible worlds.” Under this theory, God created the very best world He could; any other choice He could have made would have resulted in even more suffering than what we have here today. (more…)
Frequent commenter Marco Polo writes in response to my post Humankind Possesses Superior Intelligence–But There’s a Catch: “The End is Nigh” has been a common catch cry among doomsday prophets throughout the ages.
You’re correct that, throughout history, there have been people predicting doom, and even more people making fun of them. In most cases, the latter people turn out to be correct. However, what happens in the case of extinctions, of course, is that the former set has the last laugh (though it’s hardly a laugh). (more…)
Michael Bloomberg often delivers a short address at the Renewable Energy Finance Forum – Wall St., an event I’ve attended several times over the years. Here’s an op-ed he wrote in the New York Times that invokes the same folksy, accessible and optimistic style with which speaks. (more…)
Absolutely any business can significantly benefit from solar panels. Big or small and across all industries, if you have a roof over your business then it is more than likely that your company can save with Solar PV. Commercial roofs provide uncomplicated space which is ideal for Solar PV installations. The location of your businesses doesn’t matter either. Traditionally the south has seen the biggest take up of solar installations but any UK business can reap these rewards. The main solar panel benefit for business is a regular, predictable supply of cheap electricity. (more…)
I constantly find typos in stuff I’ve written, even after I’ve reread the piece three times, and sometimes, after my proofreader has gone over it. I’m totally embarrassed whenever I publish something with some glaring error in it, and so I suppose I shouldn’t make fun of the guy pictured here.
Having said that, it’s hard to look at this picture and not ask yourself: I wonder who he voted for?
The one on the right made me smile too. Similarly, I’m guessing the driver didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton.
It appears that the prosecution of ExxonMobil for defrauding investors by lying about climate change has taken a turn for the worse for the oil giant, as their attempts to have the case moved from New York to Texas have all been denied. In fact, New York couldn’t be a worse venue for Exxon, given its extremely powerful laws that protect investors from deceit. Texas, of course, couldn’t be better for them, as it’s a haven to congressional stooges like Lamar Smith, climate change denier and Chairman of the House Science committee (!) who has relentlessly attacked the EPA and others to provide immunity for ExxonMobil.
Question: What clean energy resources is the largest contributor to the U.S. grid-mix. Hint: the correct answer just took the lead in 2016.
Answer: Can be found at Clean Energy Answers.
Relevance: Hydro will be back on top in 2017, though the current leader will retake the lead for the foreseeable future in 2018.
It’s the birthday of primatologist Jane Goodal, who pointed out, “Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans have been living for hundreds of thousands of years in their forest, living fantastic lives, never overpopulating, never destroying the forest. I would say that they have been in a way more successful than us as far as being in harmony with the environment.”
It really is remarkable that the human species, with its superior intelligence, behaves so poorly in so many ways. (more…)
My old friend from high school, Bruce Wilson, now a practitioner of LEED certified building construction, sent me this piece on the Westinghouse bankruptcy and what it means to the nuclear industry. I respond:
I have to think the author is correct, in that this will not kill the nuclear industry, any more than Solyndra killed solar. It may even represent an opportunity, by leading to standard designs that can be replicated far more easily and inexpensively than what we’ve done previously in most of the world, i.e., everywhere but France. (more…)
