Blog – Page 1332 – 2GreenEnergy.com

Civil Disobedience and Environmental Justice

craigshieldsPosted on July 12, 2014 Posted in Renewables - Politics

As I mentioned earlier, it’s the birthday of Henry David Thoreau. When we think of the long and important history of non-conformists, we probably think of Socrates first, but Thoreau is right up there in most people’s top five.

Moreover, Thoreau played a huge part in explicating the proper role of “civil disobedience” in society. From his famous essay of that name:

“Unjust laws exist; shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once? (more…)

Bringing About Environmental Justice Requires Enthusiasm

craigshieldsPosted on July 12, 2014 Posted in Sustainability

It’s the birthday of Henry David Thoreau, who, after living at Walden Pond, left us with this gem: “I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

Let’s also remember that Thoreau was a close friend of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who taught us: “Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.”

As I wrote as a kind of “renewable energy new year’s resolution” late last year:

Truly, we’re right around the corner from a fully sustainable approach to energy here on our home planet. So let’s dedicate ourselves in 2014 to moving the ball across the goal line. What will be required? Little more than what we have in place right this minute: a powerful purpose, ever-improving clean energy technology and a ton of enthusiasm.

Tagged with: ever-improving clean energy technology, Henry David Thoreau, Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm, Ralph Waldo Emerson, renewable energy new year’s resolution, sustainable approach to energy

Public Education in the Value of Environmentalism, CleanTech

craigshieldsPosted on July 11, 2014 Posted in Renewables - Business

Here’s a reader who believes that public education on the subject of environmentalism is required. Hard to argue with that. Our discussion:

Paul: What we need most is education of the public. People are too afraid of “change”. Change to geothermal from HVAC, but then they’ll gripe about energy bills, always climbing. It should be “law” that all new construction has geothermal and solar. Once it takes hold, and people see how much they save, it will hit the remodel scene like crazy. Now, it’s just the “educated fringe” that sees the benefits.

Craig: You’re absolutely right. In terms of education, however, I see this happening VERY quickly; (more…)

Tagged with: cost of renewables falling steadily, fossil fuel industry, new construction has geothermal and solar, public education on the subject of environmentalism, renewable energy starting to impact the world, wind almost 5% of the U.S. grid mix

Can Environmentalism and CleanTech Be Lucrative?

craigshieldsPosted on July 11, 2014 Posted in Renewables - Business

Roger Priddle writes in response to my request for suggestions for new business models and strategies:

Thanks to you and all the others who refuse to let the discussion (on environmentalism) die.

I find I can get a positive reaction when I talk to “middle school” students. They’ve heard a lot of the comments, and are young enough to be idealistic, to think that they can make a difference.

So I volunteer to talk to elementary school classes and assemblies. Can’t make a living doing it, and I find the teachers burn out on the subject after just a few years so I’m constantly looking for new ways in, but I’ve heard from a number of high school students how a talk I gave years ago stuck with them and that, for a while at least, they modified their behaviors. (more…)

Tagged with: Cleantech business models and strategies, dominate markets as the world goes green, Environmentalist isn’t a way to GET rich; it’s a way to BE rich, Paul Hawken

Helping Craft the U.S. Energy Policy — Check Out the Mayday PAC

craigshieldsPosted on July 11, 2014 Posted in Renewables - Politics

Here’s another discussion I had with a reader who responded to my request for suggestions about new potential courses:

Reader: I know this may be a little out there but have you tried engaging in the determination of public policy?

Craig: I would love to be a part of public policy, though I’m not sure I’m willing to wade through 1000 miles of sewer water to get there.

Here’s something I wrote the other day, commenting on Lawrence Lessig (pictured here) and his plan to remove the corruptive influence of money on U.S. politics, called the Mayday PAC. I’d sure like to see this succeed, and I support it 100%, but until it does, realize that we’re talking about a cesspool of considerable magnitude here. (more…)

Tagged with: corruptive influence of money on U.S. politics, energy public policy, Ernie Moniz (U.S. Energy Secretary), Lawrence Lessig, Mayday PAC

2GreenEnergy Business Models and Strategies

craigshieldsPosted on July 11, 2014 Posted in Renewables - Business

In response to my request for a suggestion on new, untapped strategies and business models for 2GreenEnergy, one of my earliest subscribers wrote:

I have always admired your work and your skills. You are where you belong in CleanTech. It is just standing back and looking at the whole picture. Where was the world before Edison, the Wright brothers, and especially Ford? They, and many more, were all being told that their ideas wouldn’t work.

“The horse is here to stay, but the automobile is only a novelty – a fad.” (more…)

Tagged with: business models for 2GreenEnergy, loss of biodiversity, ocean acidification, scourge of climate change, transition from fossil fuels to renewables, water and food shortages

U.S. Government Expands Subsidies to the Fossil Fuel Industry, Throwing Cold Water on the Migration to Renewable Energy

craigshieldsPosted on July 10, 2014 Posted in Fossil Fuels

I expressed in a recent post how certain areas of the U.S., including Hawaii, can migrate to renewable energy very rapidly. The operative word there is “can” (expressing the possibility), as distinguished from “will” (expressing the future as it is likely to occur).

That’s because the U.S. government is further expanding the already large and obscene level of subsidies that the American taxpayers bestow upon the fossil fuel industry. Until and unless We The People can regain control of our government’s behavior in this arena, renewables will remain a minor contributor to the overall energy picture.

Tagged with: government expanding subsidies for fossil fuel industry, migrate to renewable energy rapidly, overall energy picture, renewables

Hawaii Has All the Right Conditions to Replace Fossil Fuels with Renewable Energy

craigshieldsPosted on July 10, 2014 Posted in Photovoltaics

Here’s an article about a “Perfect Storm for Renewables,” which describes how Kauai, one of the less-populated Hawaiian Islands, is poised to hit 40% renewable energy on their electricity grid. This is largely driven by homeowners who have installed solar PV, which already provides an enormous chunk of the island’s peak energy.

In truth, it wouldn’t be impossible to achieve 100%, and then go on to replace gasoline powered cars with electric vehicles. (more…)

Tagged with: homeowners installed solar PV, Perfect Storm for Renewables, renewable energy on electricity grid, Replace Fossil Fuels with Renewable Energy, replace gasoline powered cars with electric vehicles

Solar Energy in the U.S., Run-of-River Hydro in Brazil

craigshieldsPosted on July 10, 2014 Posted in Hydrokinetics

I got home last night from a couple of days in San Francisco at the InterSolar show, an event whose purpose is to promote the numerous technologies that surround humankind’s efforts to power our planet from our local star. And speaking of star, the event, with the enormous crowds of dedicated industry professionals that attend it, gets more stellar every year. (more…)

Tagged with: power our planet from our local star, renewable energy projects, run-of-river hydro Brazil, San Francisco InterSolar show

Corporate Sustainability, Industrial/Commercial Real Estate

craigshieldsPosted on July 10, 2014 Posted in Sustainable Building

I’m proud to announce that we’ve added a new 2GreenEnergy “Associate” — Kevin Cullina (pictured here in casual attire), whose career I describe as follows: “Applying the Principles of Corporate Sustainability to Industrial and Commercial Real Estate.”

Kevin’s relationship with us here at 2GreenEnergy began when he and I were introduced last year, and we started to talk about how the corporate world is constantly rethinking its responsibilities and opportunities vis-a-vis more efficient buildings, reduced transportation “footprint” associated with employee travel, and so forth. (more…)

Tagged with: 2GreenEnergy Associates, corporate sustainability, Industrial and Commercial Real Estate, LEED-Gold certification, more efficient buildings, transportation footprint commuting employees