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International Panel on Climate Change Has a Tough Job

craigshieldsPosted on February 26, 2014 Posted in Climate Change

I just did a phone interview for a young lady writing a paper for a course she’s taking in college, which reminded me of how passionate the youth of today is about climate change and the environment more generally. She seemed really cheesed off that the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) is having such a tough time bringing the nations of the world together to form a meaningful and binding agreement that would limit greenhouse gas emissions.

You and me both, kid. 🙂

Tagged with: binding agreement limiting greenhouse gas emissions, Climate Change, International Panel on Climate Change, IPCC

From Guest Blogger Leslie Kramer: Five Cool Ways Your Neighborhood Can Band Together To Become Greener

craigshieldsPosted on February 26, 2014 Posted in Sustainability

One person trying to become greener is great, but if they can persuade their entire neighborhood to do it we’ll all be able to make a much bigger difference.

Are you old enough to remember what neighborhoods used to be like decades ago? These days they’re completely different and this isn’t a good thing. They’re becoming a lot dirtier, but I’m not talking about the trash lying in the middle of the street. We’re wasting tons of energy and we’re polluting the environment at a frightening rate. Instead of trying to tackle our anti-green problems on your own I’m going to look at a few ways you can do it with the help of the lovely people who live in your neighborhood. (more…)

Tagged with: green neighborhood, sustainability

Climate Change and the Choice of Our Sources of Information

craigshieldsPosted on February 25, 2014 Posted in Climate Change

Here’s a popular video that makes an extremely important point: in problem solving – and in life in general – we tend to confirm what we believe, even though disconfirming our beliefs is so much more productive. This, of course, is reflected in the source of news we select; it explains why Fox News viewers tend to be climate change deniers: they choose a source of information that will re-enforce what they already believe.

But to be fair, am I any better? I tend to read things that confirm my belief that climate change is real and that we have an obligation to do something about it, etc. Having said that, there has been an enormous amount of work — for a variety of purposes – that’s gone into the process of disproving the concept of human-caused climate change, and, according to the vast majority of scientists who have reviewed that work, it has not been successful in discrediting the theory.

Tagged with: climate change is real

Tax on Gasoline

craigshieldsPosted on February 25, 2014 Posted in Electric Vehicles

It’s the 95th anniversary of the tax on gasoline, in the U.S., at least (Oregon, 1919). Of course, its original justification was the idea that those who drove should pay for the construction of roads, which seems as reasonable today as it did back then.

Now, however, we have a whole new set of issues, associated with the externalities of burning oil, including long-term environmental damage, challenges to national security, and threats to our health. For example, the people living within a mile on either side of the San Diego Freeway out here in sunny California have cancer rates that are many times the national average.

Perhaps a larger tax, perhaps in addition to a price floor, could help defray some of these costs, when providing incentives for people to rethink their approach to transportation.

Tagged with: challenges to national security, externalities of burning oil, long-term environmental damage, San Diego Freeway, threats to our health

Let’s Develop a Plan To Get Rid of Coal

craigshieldsPosted on February 25, 2014 Posted in Fossil Fuels

Tiny particles that penetrate lung tissue called “PM 2.5” come largely as exhaust from burning coal to generate electricity, and have been linked to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths in certain parts of China, where their concentrations are often over 500 micrograms per cubic meter, more than 20 times the levels that the World Health Organization deems safe. Small wonder these people are upset with their government. I certainly wouldn’t want to live in air that looks like you can cut it with a knife, watching my family and friends drop like flies.

The world really needs to get rid of coal as soon as possible. We need a plan in place to do that. Why can’t we have one?

Tagged with: burning coal for energy, China, PM 2.5, premature deaths, Tiny particles that penetrate lung tissue, World Health Organization

From Guest Blogger Shawn Kravetz: Shedding Some Light On Renewable Energy Trade Board — A Golden Opportunity In Solar

craigshieldsPosted on February 25, 2014 Posted in Photovoltaics

Here’s an article on the solar photovoltaics industry written by my colleague Shawn Kravetz (pictured), with whom I conducted a webinar on solar investing last year. By way of introduction to the article, Shawn writes:

We wanted to share two timely and important updates on a unique investment opportunity we brought to light in recent weeks. Renewable Energy Trade Board Corporation (EBODF) is detailed in the following article, but two items merit investor attention. (more…)

Tagged with: China Merchants New Energy Group, Goldpoly New Energy Holdings, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, OTCPK:EBODF, Renewable Energy Trade Board Corporation, United Photovoltaics Group Ltd.

In the Absence of Run-Of-River Hydro, We Get Eco-Wrecking Dams

craigshieldsPosted on February 25, 2014 Posted in Hydrokinetics

South America’s energy demands can be met in different ways, but most countries lean to hydro in one form or another. One of the reasons I’m so excited about the run-of-river hydro projects I’m trying to put together in Southern Brazil is that, in their absence, that country will soon commence work on what will become the second-largest hydroelectric dam on the planet. (more…)

Tagged with: Chadin 2, largest hydroelectric dam, run-of-river hydro, run-of-river hydro projects in Southern Brazil

From Guest Blogger Joanne Miller: Energy Efficient Solutions for Two Storey Homes

craigshieldsPosted on February 25, 2014 Posted in Sustainable Building

In the last few years, people have realised the importance of living in eco-friendly homes. With technological advancements, green homes have become a lot easier to design and build. In fact, designers and architects can even hide eco-friendly and economical features of your two storey house in a very inconspicuous way. Making your two storey house green helps not only your finances, but also your surroundings. (more…)

Tagged with: energy efficient construction, sustainable home, sustainable two storey home

Environmentalism and Following One’s Heart

craigshieldsPosted on February 24, 2014 Posted in Sustainability

Had Steve Jobs survived cancer, he would have celebrated his 59^th birthday today. In addition to his other merits, Jobs led a very philosophic life; he once observed, “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” (more…)

Tagged with: environmentalism, Environmentalism isn’t a way to get rich; it’s a way to be rich, green movement, Paul Hawken, Steve Jobs cancer

Unsustainable: Disappearance of the U.S. Middle Class

craigshieldsPosted on February 24, 2014 Posted in Sustainability

Last Friday was the anniversary of the publication of the Communist Manifesto in 1848. Of course, communism isn’t regarded very well in the world today as a workable political philosophy.

But here’s something that also seems broken: (more…)