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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Conservation of Matter, EnergyThough the concept of the conservation of matter had been around for millennia, it was 18th Century French chemist Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier who nailed it down tight, while also suggesting that Earth was a closed system with respect to the “stuff” that we have all around us. And, of course, he was correct; with the exception of a few meteorites, the formation of the moon, and a tiny amount of radioactive decay, every atom of matter that was on Earth when it was formed 4.5 billion years ago is still here in one form or another. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Solar Thermal

Solar Energy in the Sahara DesertFrom my feed on Quora.com, where I’ve volunteered to answer questions about renewable energy, a reader asks: Why don’t/can’t we put solar panels in the Sahara Desert as a source of electricity?

This is a strong ideal generally, since the value of that land is low, there’s plenty of sun, and it’s very close to Europe.  But, off the top of my head: (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Biofuels

Be Sustainable this WinterAs winter is rapidly approaching, the need to sink into a comfy sofa in front of a warm, inviting fireplace is rapidly increasing. However, opinions are somewhat divided, when it comes to choosing a type of a fireplace between those employing natural gas and the wood burning ones. From things as simple as physical outlook, to maintenance, convenience and environmental awareness, ideas differ from a homeowner to a homeowner. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Global Warming, a Real IssueThe term “global warming” indicates the average increase in temperature of the Earth’s surface since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.  This change is attributed largely to the increasing amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and other forms of human activity. In Earth’s history there have occurred many cyclical changes in the climate that caused several ice ages alternating with warmer periods. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Energy Storage

Nickel-Iron BatteriesLet us analyze now the accumulator (energy storage device) known as nickel-iron; this type of battery was invented by Thomas Edison and is composed of a positive electrode of nickel oxide and a negative electrode of powder iron. Both materials are pressed in a grid of steel, and the electrolyte consists of an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide. This type of accumulator must be hermetically sealed, otherwise the conductivity of the electrolyte decreases, due to a carbonation reaction between the electrolyte and the surrounding air. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

State of New York To Use

As an observer of the justice system here in the United States, I have always wondered about the need for laws that are created to help prosecutors go after certain specific types of criminals. For example, we’re far more indignant about drunk drivers, child molesters, Ponzi schemers, and terrorists now than we were 50 years ago; I get that. But 50 years ago, wasn’t it illegal to defraud people and blow up buildings?  I.e., we already had laws on our books sufficient to prosecute those who committed crimes in these arenas. Did we really need new ones?

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Efficiency

How to Keep Your House Warm this Winter for LessWhen it comes to keeping your house warm this winter, things can get costly if you’re not careful. It’s easy to just turn up the thermostat, load up the fire or switch on the heater to full power, but you won’t see the bill until winter is over and by then it will be too late. In this article we’re going to look at the different types of heating and how they vary in effectiveness as well as talk about a few tips and tricks to keep the draught out and your energy bills low. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Hey ExxonMobil: There's an Intense Little Girl with a Sharp Instrument Headed Your WayAs it becomes increasingly clear that ExxonMobil is facing a category-5 hellstorm of legal onslaught from our Justice Department over the oil giant’s conspiracy to deceive the world about climate change, I find myself ever more alert to metaphors that might represent the incredible fury that’s about to go down here.  Check this out, and, in particular, don’t skip the end.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Talkin’ Sustainability

I was on a two-hour online radio/television show yesterday called “Zo What?” — an absolutely brilliant production of Zo Williams, a man who has more “cool” in his little finger than I do in my entire body, as the pic here suggests.

I was honored to be included in this week’s program, though I suppose I was a decent fit, insofar as the theme for this particular episode was sustainability. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Three Benefits of Operating a Green BusinessAs time goes by, the terms “going green” and “sustainability” are becoming increasingly relevant throughout the business world. These terms can be defined a number of different ways, but ultimately the act of a business going green involves the overall reduction of negative impact a business has on the environment. Common practices to going green within the enterprise world are implementing tactics such as: (more…)

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