Here’s an article from some contributors to GreenTechMedia that argues for a “new” way to look at energy. The authors write, for example:
“Much of that “plentiful” natural gas is being extracted from deep underground pockets through hydraulic “fracking,” a water- and chemical-intensive process that involves fracturing the earth to reach gas deposits. (more…)
A reader just sent me an email describing a “new development in energy” – one called …
“The MAFG is an electromechanical device that uses a diverse phenomenon known as Angular Momentum that conserves the energy produced during a cycle of compression. This compression and conservation of energy accelerates the displacement that gravity intensifies producing energy that can be easily captured. (more…)
Today is the 113th anniversary of the publication of a paper that revolutionized science and ushered in the age of electronics. On this day in 1900 Max Planck published his paper on quantum mechanics, in which he explained that light had a dual nature: in certain ways it behaved like a wave, in other ways it behaved like a stream of tiny massless particles which (later) were called “photons.” (more…)
I look forward to PBS’s wonderful program “Ask This Old House” on Saturday mornings, not because I’m a do-it-yourselfer, but because I love knowing how things work, and I appreciate all the thought that goes into sustainable ways of building our modern, energy-efficient homes. (more…)
Yesterday was the birthday of French novelist Gustave Flaubert, who made one of my favorite observations: “To be stupid, selfish, and have good health are three requirements for happiness, though if stupidity is lacking, all is lost.” This, of course, not too distant from what Emerson (pictured here) told us, albeit without the humor (which I quoted in Is Renewable Really Doable?): “God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose. Take which you please, — you can never have both. (more…)
I just got off the phone from a really engaging hour-long radio show. “Go Green Radio’s” hostess Jill Buck (pictured here) interviewed me about my recent book: “Renewable Energy – Following the Money.”
As I told her during a commercial break, of the 50-or-so shows I’ve done like this over the past few years, I believe Jill was the most single knowledgeable interviewer I’ve ever encountered. I thought I’d just provide here the description she wrote to introduce her listeners to the show, as well as the remarkably astute questions she asked. (more…)
One of the most costly aspects of beautiful flooring can be found in an unexpected place: Cleaning products. Not only do they put a squeeze on your wallet (some cleaners are upwards of $5 per bottle – and you ‘need’ a special bottle for each different type of flooring, so you can never just buy one all-purpose cleaner…), but they also put a squeeze on the environment with their harsh chemicals and oftentimes heavy-duty manufacturing processes. (more…)
It is becoming increasingly clear to many people that fossil energy cannot meet the demands of current global needs, let alone future sustainability. Fossil fuels are not renewable, and their reserves are getting depleted every day. In addition, the processes involved in extracting and using them pose both health and environmental hazards. (more…)
Look at your current neighborhood. The occupation or omission of power lines may show its age. Usually, older neighborhoods, built in a time of limited urban planning, host aboveground lines, while newer neighborhoods enjoy the benefit of underground utility wires.
It would seem most homeowners would want to wish away aboveground lines, those susceptible to outages as well as possibly lowering the overall pricing of houses. In 2012, a DC neighborhood, met with severe weather and ongoing power outage, desired modification to its power lines. (more…)
Here’s an infographic from the Union of Concerned Scientists on electric transportation, whose point is that, where only 1% of the cars on roads currently are EVS, 42% “could be” – meaning that their drivers meet all the criteria: dedicated parking, limited range, no towing, no need to transport full soccer teams, etc. The piece goes on to lay out the environmental benefits that would accrue if these other 41% were to make the switch.
There is a problem with the logic, however, that is revealed in the 20-page PDF linked at the bottom. (more…)
