According to the Writer’s Almanac, it’s the birthday of James Whistler whose most famous painting was titled Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 (1871), but it’s more commonly known as “Whistler’s Mother.” It’s a portrait of Anna Matilda McNeill Whistler in a black dress, seated in profile against a gray wall. When Whistler’s scheduled model didn’t show up for a sitting, he decided to paint his mother instead. (more…)
Fortunately for the outcome of our civilization, millennials have a far more progressive attitude than their parents and grandparents when it comes to environmental stewardship, climate change mitigation, and so forth. Some believe that this is a natural consequence of the fact that old people are going to be dead soon, and thus will not have to suffer from the consequences of our egregious failure to clean up after ourselves. (more…)
One of the beauties of writing stuff in the Internet age is the longevity the pieces enjoy; it’s possible that as many people are reading articles I wrote a couple of years ago as are following my daily blog.
Here’s a good example: (more…)
Through a bizarre and cruel coincidence, it’s the anniversary of the ratification of the 14th Amendment, which is one of the most important of all 27, insofar as it guarantees equal protection under the law for all citizens. I say “bizarre and cruel” because it comes on a day on which all decent people are mourning the death of a horrifying number of black men at the hands of our police, which demonstrates so clearly that this key aspect of US law sometimes has no meaning in the real world. (more…)
Summers are long and very hot, so modifying your home to keep it cooler is an investment in your comfort. Putting these tips to work will produce dividends you can feel.
Plant Shade Trees and Shrubs around your Home (more…)
A reader asks, “Has it been determined whether the world’s supply of lithium is sufficient to produce enough battery capacity to make renewables reliable?”
It’s a complicated question, unfortunately. Perhaps it’s best summed up by what the CEO of a very large Li-ion battery concern told me during an interview several years ago: “To those who claim there is a shortage of lithium, I point out that we haven’t really started looking for it in earnest. We didn’t think there was much oil in the ground until we started hunting around. Unfortunately, we found all the easily-accessed oil, and burned it.” (more…)
2GreenEnergy got off the ground in 2009, just as Stephen Lacey was assuming the exalted post of editor of Renewable Energy World, a huge website with which we’ve had a great deal of extremely positive and productive interaction over the years. The fact that this was Stephen’s first job out of college is testimony to how bright he is; he developed a rich understanding of the entire industry within the first year, and has been an extremely powerful voice in advocating for clean energy ever since. (more…)
Because of our focus on clean energy and the environment here at 2GreenEnergy, we tend to tread lightly on unrelated matters in the sphere of social justice. But here’s something I thought I’d call to the attention of readers, especially those outside the US: the abolition of the death penalty. (more…)
Question: How many tons of plastic now litter our ocean waters, killing fish and other aquatic animals?
Answer: Can be found at Clean Energy Answers.
Relevance: We’ve all seen plenty of concepts that address the collection and removal of ocean plastic, most of which use motorized devices that move through the water. Here’s a new take on this; it’s stationary, and relies on the steady, predictable ocean currents to bring the waste plastic to the device.
Climate change feels so big, and it feels like nothing we can do will make a difference. All of our actions seem so small; you probably feel like your actions won’t matter. This is far from the truth. Every little action and change towards fighting climate change is an important step towards a better and healthier Earth.
Energy Efficiency (more…)
