I sure wish there were a way to get everyone on Earth to spend the two minutes required to watch the incredibly powerful video presented below. As I wrote on Facebook to a friend who had posted it, “I’ve never received a more beautiful and important message in my entire life.”
Hope you’ll enjoy. (more…)
Cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead is perhaps best known for what she said about social progress: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
There are many events in history that exemplify this nicely, and today is the anniversary of an important one. It was on this day in 1852 that Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published; it sold 10,000 copies in its first week, and about 2 million copies by 1857. (more…)
I’m on the receiving end of a constant barrage of press releases that boast breakthroughs in every conceivable flavor of renewable energy. And, as much as I hate to be cynical, I have to believe that most of this stuff won’t pan out, meaning that it will never become cost-effective vis-a-vis other forms of clean energy. (more…)
I love this.
And here’s another way of saying the same thing from one of my heroes, Bertrand Russell: The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.
Regular commenter BreathOnTheWind sent me this piece on the rise of electric transportation, and how this phenomenon will disempower OPEC. Can’t happen soon enough.
My only objection (a point I’ve made dozens of times) is the forecasted perfectly smooth growth curve which culminates in the prediction that 35% of all new car sales will be EVs by the year 2040. (more…)
Often all it takes is some minor changes in your daily habits in order to have a big impact on the world around you. Many people shy away from the idea of “going green” simply because they feel as if their schedule is too hectic, but these lifestyle changes could actually save you time and money. Here is a look at some steps you can take to start reducing your carbon footprint today. (more…)
Environmental concerns usually focus on the damage that the various chemicals and pollutants are doing to the atmosphere. The potential effect is devastating. However, there may be pollutants in your own home which can be very harmful to your health. One of the worst examples of this is when you fit a new carpet. This will typically release hundreds of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which have been associated with a wide range of serious illnesses. Surprisingly it can take years for these VOCs to dissipate! Fortunately, there is a range of alternative flooring you can use which is environmentally friendly and human friendly. (more…)
A reader notes that the ascendancy of Donald Trump is due in large measure to the fact that people are tired of being led by someone who sees the need to be politically correct.
For whatever reason, I’ve never viewed the phrase “politically correct” as a pejorative. (more…)
At the suggestion of a colleague, I checked out an episode of “Shark Tank” with my daughter last night. I don’t watch too much commercial TV, but this was actually better than I had imagined. I agree with most of the VCs’ reasoning, especially on things like valuation, but sometimes they go after a business concept that I think is asinine. But who knows? I’m often wrong about the market demand for consumer products. (more…)
Perhaps a bit off-topic, but this is something everyone should see. And in fact, it’s an important aspect of the migration to renewable energy, and all the other social goods we seek. Enjoy. (more…)
