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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Antonin Scalia Dead at 79As I like to think of myself as a kind and civil person, I generally do not celebrate the loss of anyone’s life.  Yet it’s hard to mourn the passing of those who were bitter enemies of fairness, justice and social progress on Earth, e.g., U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, found dead at his West Texas ranch earlier today.

Here’s Scalia upholding his defense of Citizen’s United, in which he states that he doesn’t believe that big money plays too great a role in politics, and here are some other highlights from “Antonin Scalia – On the Issues.”   (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

We All Make a Far Greater Difference Than We Can Possibly KnowIt’s heartening to look through the comments to my recent post: “The Environmental Movement: Too Conciliatory?” — insofar as many point out the role of the individual in determining the course of history. We have FAR greater capacity to change the world than we realize. That’s one of the top themes of the whole 2GreenEnergy enterprise, perhaps best epitomized by the famous quote from cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Charles Darwin’s LegacyIt’s the birthday of Charles Darwin, whose discovery of biological evolution ranks in the top couple of moments in human history when a longstanding paradigm was turned on its head.

Thus perhaps it’s a good moment to speculate: which one’s next to go?  The problem, of course, is that’s a completely unanswerable question, by the very definition of the term “paradigm.”  In many ways they are searchlights that serve to focus our research onto areas that seem most promising, yet in other ways they are blinders, actively prohibiting us from seeing anything else.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Nuclear

Nuclear Fusion: Zero-Carbon Energy Source of the Future?A reader asked me to comment on this breakthrough in Germany re: nuclear fusion.  In particular, “Can you speak to its safety?”

Thanks.  This is very similar to what my friends at TriAlpha are doing here in California.  In fact, from the article it’s hard to know who’s further ahead, especially since all this work is so clandestine.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

To the Sponsor of an Outrageous Presenter on Climate Change DenialI had the misfortune of attending a lecture at the University of California at Santa Barbara yesterday, in response I wrote this to the director of the Institute on Energy Efficiency, the sponsoring organization.  I happen to know Dr. Bowers personally, so this wasn’t an easy letter to send.

Dr. Bowers: (more…)

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by lizzieweakleyPosted on Posted in Efficiency

Four Ways Your Plumbing Affects Your Home's Energy-EfficiencyPlumbing isn’t something a lot of homeowners like to think about that often. The only time they tend to worry about it is when a serious malfunction requires hiring a plumber. However, your plumbing can affect a lot more than your ability to use water in your home. It can also affect your overall energy bills. Below are four ways your plumbing can affect your home’s energy efficiency.

1. An Inefficient Water Heater (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Consumerism Is Not the Defining Characteristic of HumankindA reader comments on my post “Humankind Is Slowly Evolving in the Direction of Eco-Consciousness,” If your concern is about consumerism in general, I think you’re fighting a losing battle. Consumer economics are as old as civilization, and could even be defined as the basis of civilization.  Producing a vast variety of mostly unnecessary products is fundamental to human economics…..That’s just who we are as a species.

We’ll see, my friend. It seems quite possible that something like the following will take place: (more…)

by Daniel RogersPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

The Truth About Renewable Energy ResourcesPeople like to think of renewable energy as something new that needs to fight for its place in human society. That is nonsense. One of the oldest examples of implementing renewable energy can be traced all the way back to 200 BC when we could already find windmills pumping water in Ancient China. So, if there is anything new and intrusive here, that would be the fossil fuel. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

beaver-hands-on-headThose of us who watch an occasional “Nova” broadcast on PBS understand that beavers have a salubrious effect on any environment they inhabit.  One of the many reasons this is true is that the activities of beavers, i.e., building dams, contribute to the health of long grasses, and fungi (“mycorrhizal fungi” as it turns out) that grows on their roots, which are incredibly effective in sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide into the earth beneath us.

If we had a mascot here at 2GreenEnergy, it would most assuredly be the industrious fellow pictured above.  Not only are they effective, but they’re adorable as well.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Humankind Is Slowly Evolving in the Direction of Eco-ConsciousnessWhen I noticed this can of “Barbisol” in my son’s bathrom, I felt compelled to write the post pictured here for the 2GreenEnergy Instagram feed.

A reader commented that we tend to act is if someone else will deal with our problems, and went on to lament. “I don’t understand why we act this way.”

I believe the most plausible explanation is the fact that we (especially Americans) are heavily programmed to consume. The typical American experiences more than 3000 images and messages each day, all reminding us that we’re lesser persons if we do not buy things. Few of us take the time, or even have the courage, to ask ourselves if we really need an item, and what will be the environmental consequences of consuming that item. You are absolutely right when you say we make it somebody else’s problem.

Note also that this is a deeply ingrained part of our behavior as a people. It’s not some surface level fad that is important today but gone next week. We will get there, but we need to expect many decades to unfold before the masses begin to view the world as environmental conservatives.

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