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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Key “Driver” of the EV Adoption Curve: Superior PerformanceIn response to my piece: New Discovery in Hybrid-Electric Drivetrains, a reader notes: A few days ago, looking at AOL’s news clips, I found one about someone putting what looked like a small block V-8 into a 1968 Mustang fastback, but it was an electric motor. The performance of the car was totally insane: 0 – 60 in under three seconds.  American muscle cars with rear tires smoking kind of catches my attention. It will be interesting to see how long this evolution will take.

Well, that truly is part of the appeal of EVs: high torque at low RPMs.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

It Would Be Funnier If It Weren’t True: One’s Concern About Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Depends on Which Side of the Boat One OccupiesDuring a call with some old friends the other evening, one of them mentioned the cartoon shown here, and its allusion to our civilization’s approach to climate change.  That’s the beauty of the art form: so much communicated so concisely, and using humor to drive home a lethally important point.

Countries with low elevations, e.g., the Netherlands and the Maldives, are rapidly finding themselves underwater, and, accordingly, are desperate to discover solutions to global warming and the consequent melting of the ice in Greenland and the Antarctic.  All the while, the people in the rest of the world doesn’t see the urgency…as if they lived on a different planet and could afford to watch all this happening.  A classic in the cartoon world….

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainable Building

Why Insulation Has the Key Role to Energy Efficient Buildings

Apart from many other “smart” energy-saving solutions that target the way we live and work in energy efficient buildings, nothing is as effective as good old insulation. However, insulation has a brand new suit. Let’s introduce the most popular home insulation solutions.

Interior Insulation (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Obama's Budget Calls For Billions In Climate Funding“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Of course, we Americans are reminded of this by our president’s historic trip this week to Africa and his excoriating various national leaders for their suppression of journalists who write articles that are critical of the government. “If you continue to do that, you will have a democracy in name only,” he scolded.

How true that is. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Some People Want Renewable Energy To Fail (And They're Not All in the Oil Business)I may have mentioned that I get daily emails that cc: a huge number of people, promoting nuclear energy and denigrating renewables.  Tonight, one of these people writes about his ultimate fantasy: the implosion of renewable energy: (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Climate Change Brings More Storms, Fires and DisastersNatural disasters are a part of life. How you prepare for them could mean the difference between survival and death. At the same time, you might not have the time or money to put together an elaborate emergency plan. Fortunately, you don’t need to. Here’s how to protect your family in 4 simple steps.

Be Informed

What kind of emergencies can happen in your area? Know this, and the battle is half-won already. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

How a "No" Vote Will Affect the Environment in the 2016 EU ReferendumIn the lead up to the 2015 general election there was a great deal of debate about the United Kingdom’s place in the European Union. In line with this the Conservatives included in their election manifesto the promise that should they win at the polls they would hold a referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EU. On election the Prime Minister pledged that the referendum would be held before the end of 2017, although it is now widely anticipated that it will take place next year. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainable Building

Eco-Friendly Construction MaterialsConstruction industry today is revolutionized by several innovative concepts including the most popular eco-friendly construction concept and the concept of using ready-mix products for faster and efficient build up processes. The process of eco-friendly construction has made a way to save up the non-renewable sources of energy which are feared to be depleted in course of time. This is an innovative approach towards the development and usage of building materials that do not affect the environment or human health. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Dubious Concept in Carbon CaptureHere’s one of many dozens of ideas I’ve seen to suck the CO2 directly out of the atmosphere.  Its promoters claim to have a great number of smart people supporting the concept, but it sure seems asinine from here.

• Where does the energy come from to run the machine?  How much carbon is emitted in the process of generating it?  They imply that it can be run with renewable energy.  Of course it can.  But then that renewable energy can’t be used as it otherwise would be, i.e., to displace fossil fuel consumption.   (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Huxley’s Low Opinion of Americans’ Approach To LifeToday is the birthday of English author Aldous Huxley, best known for his dystopian novel Brave New World. Huxley wed in 1919 and the couple traveled a lot during the early years of their marriage. According to The Writer’s Almanac:  He liked the vitality and energy of the Americans they met, but he thought that energy was wasted on mindless pursuits. “Nowhere, perhaps, is there so little conversation […] It is all movement and noise, like the water gurgling out of the bath – down the waste. Yes, down the waste.”

It’s hard to imagine what he would say about the racket we Americans are making surrounding our presidential race in 2016. I don’t think he’d be too impressed.

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