Blog – Page 1537 – 2GreenEnergy.com

Webinar: Electric Trucks

craigshieldsPosted on May 24, 2012 Posted in Electric Vehicles

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGaE_Lb3gtY]
My guest here was Dr. Brooks Agnew, CEO of Vision Motors, creator of affordable light-duty battery-electric trucks that will soon be manufactured in the United States and India.

As we’ve seen all too frequently over the last few years, anyone can design an electric vehicle. But how many people can make an attractive, high-quality, freeway-capable battery-electric pickup truck with 75+ miles of range, and sell it profitably at under $25,000?

You’re about to meet one.

Tagged with: Brooks Agnew, electric transportation, electric trucks, Electric Vehicles, EVs, Vision Motor Cars

Dealing with Global Climate Change

craigshieldsPosted on May 23, 2012 Posted in Sustainability

Not that you needed another, but here’s an article painting a frightening picture of what life on planet Earth will look like by 2050. One of the things I found interesting about it is that it offers this theory for the reason for our inaction at this critical point in time, as the oceans are rising and the species are disappearing: “One answer may be found in our DNA. Growing evidence suggests our brains aren’t wired to handle future threats. We may be hardwired to deal with the present proximate, not the future probable.”

I’m reminded of what my friend Tom Konrad told me in an interview: (more…)

Tagged with: antropogenic climate change, Cancun http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/anthropogenic-climate-change.html http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/05/23-5?print, Copenhagen, global climate change, global climate change liberal hoax, Tom Konrad, ultra-right wing

May’s Webinar: Electric Trucks

craigshieldsPosted on May 23, 2012 Posted in Electric Vehicles

Sorry for the last-minute notice, but if you’re available tomorrow at 1 PM EDT (10 AM PDT), and you’re looking for some insight into the electric vehicle market (electric trucks in particular), please join Dr. Brooks Agnew, CEO of Vision Motor Cars, and me for our monthly webinar.

In contrast to most entrepreneurs in this space, Brooks comes from the auto manufacturing world; he’s been at the helm of the launches of a great number of the “Big Three’s” best-loved models over the years. I’ve known him for a few years now — even took a test drive in an early prototype. Personally, I think he’s a good bet to repeat his success here in electric transportation – but I’ll let you come to your own conclusion on that one.

Hope you can join us. Here’s the sign-up sheet:

http://2greenenergy.com/free-webinar/

Tagged with: Dr. Brooks Agnew, electric trucks, Electric Vehicles, EVs, Webinar

Cold Fusion: A Subject for Seances, not Sciences?

craigshieldsPosted on May 23, 2012 Posted in Nuclear

Glenn Doty writes:

Craig,

I don’t think that cold fusion is a worthy discussion point – as its advocates do not adhere to the common discipline of science.

Whether or not a study can technically be classified within the empirically reductive philosophy that is “science” can be tested with the following questions:

1) Can this issue be investigated empirically?

2) Is there a relevant theory that this can be linked to?

3) Can this be tested directly?

4) Is there a coherent and explicit chain of reasoning?

5) CAN THESE RESULTS BE REPLICATED? and

6) Is the research disclosed to encourage professional critique from other researchers?

The stuff revolving around “cold fusion” fails on the second, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth criteria. Hence: not science. (more…)

Tagged with: Arthur Schopenhauer, cold fusion, Glenn Doty, James Garfield, mainstream science, science fiction

From Guest Author Christopher Flores: 6 Ways That Colleges Can be More Eco-Friendly

craigshieldsPosted on May 22, 2012 Posted in Sustainability

Individuals, corporations, businesses and even colleges can all play a part in creating a more eco-friendly environment. With hundreds of different ways to reduce energy and waste, a college campus is a great place to put into place some new and environmentally-conscious measures. Here are six of the top ways that a college can be more eco-friendly.

1. Encourage Environmentally Friendly Transportation

In most college campuses, both students and teachers arrive by car regularly. While it might seem impossible to eliminate the use of gas-guzzling vehicles on a college campus, it is still possible to implement measures that encourage other forms of transport. Offer special parking privileges to those who carpool with three or more students in each vehicle. Or you might encourage students to take the bus or even walk to school if they live within walking distance.

2. Reduce Paper Consumption

(more…)

Tagged with: CFLs, compact fluorescent light bulbs, eco-friendly, environment, environmentally friendly transportation, environmentally-conscious, gas-guzzling vehicles, recycling, reduce energy, reduce paper consumption, reduce waste

What Sherlock Holmes Would Advise About Global Climate Change

craigshieldsPosted on May 22, 2012 Posted in Renewables - Science

In listening to The Writer’s Almanac this morning, I learned that it’s the birthday of Arthur Conan Doyle, who gave us the character Sherlock Holmes, and thrust the power of deductive reasoning onto the world stage a century ago. Holmes told us, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly, one begins to twist facts to suit theories rather than to twist theories to suit facts.”

I bring this up because it’s so precisely relevant to the discussion of global climate change; this is exactly what the deniers claim, i.e., that the theory is based on a manipulation of facts to suit a theory. Having said that, 97+% of climate scientists don’t see it this way.

Tagged with: Arthur Conan Doyle, climate change deniers, climate scientists, deductive reasoning, global climate change, Sherlock Holmes, The Writer’s Almanac

Energy Scarcities Cause Food Scarcities

craigshieldsPosted on May 22, 2012 Posted in Renewables - Business

There are many components to the cost of growing food and shipping it to its final destination – a surprisingly large part of which is energy. Moving water around the state of California uses 18 percent of all the electricity and 31 percent of the natural gas consumed in the state.

And of course, pumping water is only one element of the energy that is part of the food supply chain. Think of the:

• Manufacturing and transportation of fertilizers and pesticides
• Sowing, harvesting, and processing
• Transporting the food to market

The average food item we consume in the U.S. travels 1200 miles to reach our supermarkets, and even “fresh” food is two weeks old (and far less nutritious than it was when it was harvested) by the time it gets to us. (more…)

Tagged with: Aeroponics, eco-footprint of agribusiness, energy scarcity, fertilizers, food desert, food scarcity, global climate change, global warming. extreme weather, high fuel prices, high oil prices, locally grown, maximizing food yield, organic farming, organic growing, pesticides, shortage of energy, shortage of food, shortage of water, synthetic chemicals, toxins

Celebrating a Rare Victory in Civil Liberties

craigshieldsPosted on May 22, 2012 Posted in Renewables - Politics

Every once in a while there’s good news for those of us concerned that our liberties are being subjugated, and our democracy eroded away from under our feet.

As I had written previously:

The 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provides broad authority for the federal government to use the military in domestic operations in order to detain Americans indefinitely and without trial. This nullifies the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as well as the natural rights of Americans. (more…)

Tagged with: 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Authorization to Use Military Force Act, belligerent act, Chris Hedges, civil liberties, Magna Carta, National Defense Authorization Act, natural rights of Americans, NDAA, NDAA unconstitutional, U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest

The Truth Is a Casualty of Political Ads — But Let’s Look Further

craigshieldsPosted on May 22, 2012 Posted in Renewables - Politics

My mother wrote me this morning, suggesting that I “Check out the N.Y. Times article by David Brooks: ‘How Change Happens.’”

Thanks, Mom. David Brooks is an articulate advocate for free-market economics, and this is a perfect example. No surprise here. He’s a very bright guy.

In terms of the content of this particular piece, is it possible that the Obama ad is grossly unfair? Of course! That’s what most political ads do: deliberately misrepresent stories so as to mislead voters by inspiring a misplaced hatred. No surprise here either. (more…)

Tagged with: Citizens United, David Brooks, How Change Happens, misleading Obama ad, New York Times, total spending on the 2012 election

New Research Fellow at the American Center For International Policy Studies

craigshieldsPosted on May 21, 2012 Posted in Sustainability

In a note I just received from Ted Hoeller (pictured here), Chairman of the American Center For International Policy Studies, I learned that I’ve been honored to have been named a Research Fellow. One of the Center’s areas of interest is the “need for global sustainable development with regard to shelter, agriculture and enterprise.”

The group published my article on sustainable energy policy.

Tagged with: Chairman of the American Center For International Policy Studies, global sustainable development, Research Fellow, sustainable energy policy, Ted Hoeller