Home › Blog › Page 1493

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Frequent commenter Gary Tulie sent me this Wiki-article describing the 700-page “Stern Report” which, published in 2006, lays out a comprehensive set of economics regarding climate change mitigation.

From my reading of the article (though not the complete report), my first thought is the viewpoints of people like Jeremy Rifkin.  In his book The Third Industrial Revolution, he makes a fairly compelling case that the development of cleantech can represent not a cost to society, but a platform on which enormous prosperity can be built in the 21st Century. 

Of course, not everyone agrees.  In fact, people like 350.org’s Bill McKibben and Nate Hagens (contributor to my second book, Is Renewable Really Doable?) say the precise opposite, i.e., that “the party is over” for economic growth, regardless of what we think might drive it.

But my point is that there is an enormous amount of diversity in opinion regarding the economic impact of cleantech, and there is some legitimacy to the idea that this is a boon rather than a cost.

 

 

 

 

 

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Wind Energy

Here’s an article that speaks to the on-again-off-again aspect of legislation in the U.S. with respect to incentives for renewables – in this case, wind energy.  Apparently, it’s hard to find sources of capital when there are last-minute, unpredictable changes in the law (imagine that!), and, as a result of the 11th hour extension of the Production Tax Credit, the wind industry will suffer a very slow first half of 2013.  

According to the report:

The first and second quarters of 2013 will likely be characterized by slow development as laid-off employees begin to return and shuttered facilities start to operate again, with activity beginning to ramp up in the second half of the year.

One industry observer, looking at the bright side, points out that “beggars can’t be choosers.”  

Needless to say, it’s a tragedy that this industry, one that represents by far the lowest levelized cost of energy of the clean sources and such potential to create jobs, is, in fact a beggar. 

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

2013 is looking to be a promising year for auto companies after the industry helped propel the economy through 2012 with a monumental comeback and record sales since the beginning of the recession in 2008. According to The Polk research firm, 2013 is looking to be even better year for car sales in the United States, following the 7 percent rise in sales since last year.

And as those sales continue, many expect that hybrid cars will play a large role in the industry’s success. For those of you buying in 2013, here are a few reasons to go hybrid with your next purchase. (more…)

Tagged with: , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Because of my association with clean energy, it appears my email has found its way onto distribution lists associated with progress causes.  I received a note recently on ending gun violence in my home town, Santa Ynez, California, which culminated in this:  “We can’t wait any longer! Can you host a meeting in Santa Ynez next Thursday?”

I wrote back:  

Oh sure!  You apparently have never been to the quaint, cowboy, “God and country” town of Santa Ynez. We have more guns here than we have dogs, cats, and children put together.  I have a friend (and I swear I’m not making this up) who, when he heard someone breaking in a few years ago, whispered to his wife before climbing out of bed, “Do you want me to get him with the .357 or the Uzi?”

I could get Ralph Nader elected mayor faster than I could get rid of guns here. 

Tagged with: , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Glenn Doty notes with sadness:

What would be nice is if someone actually tried to nail down a rough estimate for the global net economic benefit, and the national net economic benefit, for different paced CO2 reduction strategies.

The fact that environmental lobbies continue to discuss the environment separately from a discussion of economics has rendered the discussion completely useless. If you don’t tell someone how much they stand to gain or lose from different strategies, they will always hedge their investments to minimal and/or token investments. (more…)

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

According to the Writer’s Almanac, today is the birthday of humanitarian, philosopher and physician, Albert Schweitzer.  Those unfamiliar with his extraordinary life should take a couple of minutes, visit the pages linked above, and have one of those experiences that fills one with the deepest sense of awe. 

In the talk he gave accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952, called “The Problem of Peace,” Schweitzer said:

“What really matters is that we should all of us realize that we are guilty of inhumanity. The horror of this realization should shake us out of our lethargy so that we can direct our hopes and our intentions to the coming of an era in which war will have no place.”

We as individuals sometimes feel small and powerless on a planet dominated by industries that are indifferent to our well-being, as well as by huge armies and weapons arsenals — forces that are hell-bent on world control.  Yet Schweitzer’s legacy shows that we need to reject those feelings.  We all make a difference far greater than we realize.   

Tagged with: , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

There are numerous international projects aimed at facilitating the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy, of which one of the most prominent is the International Renewable Energy Agency, or IRENA.  Here’s their “global atlas,” a solid and ever-improving tool to quantify our Earth’s renewable resources and power transmission capabilities around the globe.

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Here’s a report you can skip; it shows how cutting CO2 emissions by 2016 would be better than cutting them by 2030.  I’m not sure I need to be told that; the issue, obviously, is how to make it happen in a divisive and greedy world. 

I’d like to be younger, richer, and better looking, but in the absence of a fairy godmother, that’s not happening either. 

Tagged with: , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

I had planned to attend Jared Diamond’s lecture at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) on Saturday, but unfortunately it was sold out — not a problem that I had anticipated. I tried, but I couldn’t wangle a ticket, which is rare for me; I normally can work something out, even in tough situations.

I have watched a number of Diamond’s talks on YouTube as to how and why societies collapse, as his thinking is so relevant to the state of our civilization. Here’s a short presentation he gave in 2003 as part of the TED Talks. I highly recommend investing the required 20 minutes.

Diamond has conducted numerous detailed examinations of civilizations that have met their doom and concludes a few things, notably that there is no single cause common to them all. “Anyone who tells you that they’ve identified a uniform factor for societies’ collapsing is an idiot,” he states bluntly. (more…)

Tagged with: , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

At the conclusion of the terrific conference I attended on Friday produced by “Climate One” at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, the host asked the panel, “Where are you personally trying to make a difference in your carbon footprint?”

I thought the best answer was this: 

There are three basic areas that any eco-conscious person should explore: housing, transportation, and food.  Try to make your home energy efficient, and do what you can to conserve energy and water.  Minimize your driving, and maximize the fuel efficiency of the driving you can’t avoid. Cut down on meat.  Of course, there are hundreds of other areas I could discuss, but if you’re doing those three things, you’re addressing the vast majority of your impact on the planet.

 

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,