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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Here’s what Bernie Sanders says on the subject.

Of course, I tend to focus on the energy side of things, and I fear that if they are successful in bringing the U.S. Senate back under Republican control, the Koch Brothers, who funded most of these campaigns, will have succeeded in eviscerating the enormous progress that has been made through Obama’s tenure, and return us to a point where fossil fuels continue ad infinitum to provide the vast majority of our energy.

What happens when the most regressive voices on Earth, e.g., that of Jim Inhofe, lead our country’s policy-making on energy and the environment? It won’t be pretty.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Telsa’s Model "D" Stands for "Disappointment"According to this article, Tesla’s announcement of its new Model D—and simultaneous statement that we’ll have to wait three more years for the affordable Model X, or whatever it will be called in 2017/18—was “received fairly well by automobile analysts.”  Really?

I’m not saying that it’s bad news for stock-holders.  Yes, the stock price is off sharply, but many believe it’s poised for an immediate rebound.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Tesla's “D” is an All-Wheel Drive Model S with Dual EngineWhen Elon Musk posted a tweet saying Tesla is about to “unveil the D” a couple of days ago, it kept millions of people guessing what that “D” might stand for, with most auto experts speculating that it either points to a driverless car, or an all-wheel drive vehicle. It turns out that those who predicted that Tesla is going for a new version of the Model S, one with an all-wheel drive, were right. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Seven Ways to Maintain a Clean EnvironmentEveryone is trying to benefit the environment, but it’s hard to know how one person can help. Whether you’re trying to save money, trees or animals, there are many ways to contribute to a greener tomorrow.

Reduce and Reuse

The best way to avoid unnecessary garbage is to not make it in the first place. When making a purchase, ask yourself if you really need the product. While the new version might be environmentally friendly and made with natural materials, you will actually have less impact by not owning it at all. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Sadly, the Subject of Fracking Is Tougher Than Most People Realize Man, life is tough sometimes.  One of my very best friends, a devout environmentalist, asked me today how involved I was on the 2014 California referendum that would ban fracking in our county (Santa Barbara, CA).  It’s called “Measure P.”

I began to explain, “The concept of fracking is far more complicated than most people understand.” No sooner were those words out of my mouth than I realized how condescending this was coming off.  Fortunately, we became distracted and we dropped the subject. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Virtually All Congressional Climate Deniers Rush to Explain: “I Am Not a Scientist.”  Aren’t We Tiring of This?Apparently, Marco Rubio (pictured), Mitch McConnell, and the legion of other climate deniers in the U.S. Congress are all coached by the same guy.  There is no other explanation for the fact that their responses to questions on their anti-scientific position on the subject are identical in every case:  “I am not a scientist.” (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Off-topic?  Yes.  Interesting?  That’s Your Call. When I was a young lad, barely out of my parents’ gentle and loving reach, I took a course in ethics.  The range of topics we discussed that semester was immense, but I’ll never forget the conversation around Princeton University moral philosopher and animal rights champion Peter Singer, whose reasoning challenged every thought I’d ever had on the subject.

40 years later, Singer’s work, that he had begun as a young man in the 1970s, has moved forward into the demand for legal protection of many animals, and it’s expanded in ways that I’m sure he himself never could have imagined.  Here’s an article on the new-found rights of chimpanzees, elephants, dolphins, orcas, and other non-human primates, based on the laws surrounding unlawful imprisonment.

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Nuclear

Nuclear, Solar, and Wind—We’re Not EnemiesA colleague whose expertise lies in advanced nuclear sent me this earlier today—a comment a reader had written on his blog:

“How sad is it that we continue to debate renewables vs. dated nuclear technology, when we should be leading the world in developing all promising technologies. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Maybe It Is Time to Stop Building Things with Tailpipes and SmokestacksI sure like the way Dr. Ken Caldeira thinks.  Those of you familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality test will recognize the man as an “N,” meaning “intuitive”; he forms abstractions that are useful for creating a high level of understanding.  Check this out:

Dr. Ken Caldeira has argued for a policy goal of zero carbon dioxide emissions. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Lego Prefers Not To Be Associated with Destroying the Arctic--Toy Icon Won’t Renew Its Co-Marketing Arrangement with Shell OilIt’s hard to understand public apathy on important issues, when we’re constantly bombarded with proof that our voices actually matter.

Over the last 50 years, Lego, one of the most revered brands on the planet, has been ensconced in a co-marketing deal with Shell Oil.  Not no more. (more…)

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