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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics


Optimism / Pessimism on the Future on Renewable EnergyThose who believe that America is caught in a downward spiral have a great deal on which to base those beliefs – principally the nation’s failure to take a moral high ground on several main issues — energy and climate change among several: social justice, civil liberties, overseas imperialism, etc.  Of course, I tend to see the world through the lens of energy policy, sustainability, and environmentalism, and I’m deeply perturbed that my country – arguably the single best positioned to make a difference in the course of humankind – has contented itself to sit around and bicker about these issues while the viability of our ecosystems continues to deteriorate.
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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Efficiency

As we progress into the future, there is no question that technology is becoming more and more integrated into our everyday lives. And though we may be quick to discern growing technology with quicker and more efficient means of human productivity, the reliance that modern society places on such advancements has, without a doubt, casted unimaginable burdens within our ecological systems. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainable Building

Here’s a note from a reader that I wanted to publish:

 

Hi Craig,

My name is Cameron Von St. James and I wanted to reach out to you to share something very special to me. I noticed your blog has a focus on the environment and living green and I was wondering if you’d be willing to help me with a very important cause! (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

A friend sent me this story about his local (Philadelphia) region: “Offshore Wind Farm Rejected in New Jersey.”  Rightfully, he’s dismayed.

The analysis here shows how flawed our whole approach is to providing energy to businesses and consumers.  The whole thing needs to be ripped out by the roots, and replaced by an energy policy at the federal level (we have none at all now) that points in the direction we as a nation want to take, and contains a few main tenets:

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

photo 320px-South_Point_Wind_Farm_zpsac369aed.jpgSun, wind and water are the three most common renewable sources. They have a record of being incredible and help in keeping the environment clean. Compared to traditional power sources like coal and oil, they do not damage the energy sources and the environment.

If only 0.02% of the sun’s energy that actually reaches planet earth is tapped, it would be enough to suffice the energy demands of the world. The sooner we put to maximum use this free gift, the faster we will make this world a better place to live.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

I know many of you share my concerns about the vast damage being inflicted to human health and the environment by coal-fired power plants.  You’ll be happy to learn that, at least, in the U.S., this lethal and archaic form of energy is under a great deal of pressure, and a significant number of coal plants are slated for decommission in the near future, as illustrated in this map.

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

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A fellow EV-advocate argues that electric transportation is beneficial to the environment in the U.S. right this minute, based on the EPA’s calculator, according to which he believes that switching to an EV has “lowered his CO2 footprint by four tons per year,” and that his “experience is shared by thousands of EV/PHEV drivers around the country.”

I respond:

Sorry to say, but what you and thousands of others *think* you are doing, versus what is actually happening, are two different things.  That calculator, and almost all of which I’ve seen like it, bases its mathematics on the average grid-mix in the U.S., only a bit north of 30% of which is coal.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

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Is it just me, or has the quality of judgment of the venture capital community experienced major slippage lately? Obviously there are the extremely visible failures like Fisker Automotive and Solyndra (yes, both were also backed with public dollars). But here’s a little beauty you may have missed: “Outbox.”

The premise: It’s easier for people to process email than snail mail, so this new business will employ people to drive around in cars to customers’ physical mail-boxes, open all the mail, scan it, and email it to the customer.

The result: Bankruptcy.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

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As I’ve mentioned, I receive several new clean energy business concepts per week, mostly rooted in proven technology.  The scientific mechanisms behind solar, wind, biomass, hydrokinetics and geothermal are all very well-established, and have been for a great period of time.  Every day there are improvements, and in some cases, important ones, and that’s a good thing.  But with each email I open from an inventor somewhere on the globe, I’m constantly hoping that I’ll get something legitimate but really new – not just a claim at an incremental improvement on an old technology.

Like most people, I judge the legacies of civilization’s finest contributors to the arts and sciences by how far advanced their contributions were from the work of their predecessors.  Here’s a quick story on the subject:

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

altattributeAfter we’ve spent an entire winter at home, it is finally time to open the windows, letting the fresh spring air in. Its time to chase away the cobwebs and bring out the best of our home. The following tips will cover both cleaning and some simple organizing you can do to stick to a more green outcome of your spring cleaning:

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