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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainable Building

Please check out this article that a friend sent me on the use of shipping containers are the “guts” for small homes. I’d seen this concept applied to school rooms – for which I think, frankly, it’s a much better idea than in home building.  The validity of the whole idea is based on a couple of lucky facts:

• Shipping containers come to the U.S. in amazing numbers from Asia, and are either stockpiled here or returned empty – neither of which represents a happy, eco-friendly solution. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

If U.S. President Obama decides in favor of the Keystone XL Pipeline, we’ll soon be refining and burning enough bitumen (pictured left), after pumping it from Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico, to provide the equivalent of putting an additional 5.7 million cars and trucks on our roads.  Dr. James Hansen of NASA calls the pipeline “game over for the planet.”

That’s why I drove my family down to Santa Barbara this morning to join a couple of hundred other protesters, calling for Obama to disapprove the project.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

It looks like this transition to electric transportation is taking root in the U.S.  August was the first month that sales topped 10,000 units.

I’ve always said that this transition has the potential to happen very quickly, once word-of-mouth sets in.  Your neighbor has a Nissan LEAF, he loves it, and you see it every day.  From that moment on, every time you pull into a gas station a gnawing feeling of envy (and perhaps anger/disgust) sets in. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

We’ve been told by government and industry that the US has 100 years’ worth of natural gas in the ground accessible through unconventional means, including fracking.  This is what will provide growth in the manufacturing sector, create jobs, lower gas prices, and allow the US to become a world energy leader.

Indeed, in its Energy Plan for America, Dow Chemical maps out society’s transition to a low-carbon economy based on 100 years of natural gas providing its feedstocks and powering its plants.   During this time Dow plans to develop renewable feedstocks as well as renewable energy sources that have sufficient base load. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

In the last few hours I’ve recruited a bunch of people to join my wonderful daughter (pictured here a few years ago) and me in the march in Santa Barbara one of perhaps 100 happening on the same day across our great land) in protest of the Keystone XL Pipeline, and in support of clean energy.

Here’s how you can get involved.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

President Obama’s recent press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeld elicited an important comment. The U.S. could learn about sustainable development from Sweden. President Obama believes that Sweden is far ahead in maintaining a sustainable planet as opposed to other countries.

From a policy, political and economic perspective, there are many lessons that the U.S. can learn from Sweden. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

photo Twizy_zps1959083c.jpgA physician who likes to remain anonymous as “Leo” sent me an article on electric vehicles in Estonia, and forwarded this piece as well.  Apparently that country provides free Internet access to its people (as well as free charging for its citizens’ EV charging).  He writes: “This article about free Wi-Fi is also interesting. Too bad we don’t have it here.” (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainable Building

In certain parts of the U.S., we think our laws that surround building permits as they affect the environment are onerous.  The validity of all this can be argued both ways.  Sure, we need to protect endangered species, but at what cost?

Apparently, things are even more burdensome in the U.K., as I infer from an email communication I’ve been having with some people over there.  What one can do with the trees on one’s property is apparently a subject of huge controversy.  Fortunately for Brits who want to be honest, but want results with respect to environmental regulations as they apply to arboriculture, there are companies like Arbtech that specialize in this arena.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Apparently, the nomination of Ron Binz to lead the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is causing a great deal more controversy than I thought it would.  SmartGridNews reports running across everything from praise, all the way to charges that Binz is a “radical.”

Actually, in this case, being called a radical IS praise in my book.  The changes that need to occur to our current approach to energy should extend to its very roots (the derivation of the word).

And what is he saying that earned him this hateful moniker?  That we need to phase out the use of fossil fuels in the next 20+ years (by 2035)?  Shocking!  What’s he smoking? 🙂

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Unfortunately, I’ve never had a good business reason to go anywhere near Estonia, so my understanding of this beautiful and diverse country – including its incredible penchant for electric transportation — all comes from reading.

For reasons that are not abundantly clear, Estonia is arguably the most progressive nation on Earth in its quest to get rid of gasoline and diesel.  As readers will see from the article linked above, a big part of the country’s success in creating the change is in the charging infrastructure; It’s impossible to drive more than 30 – 40 kilometers without encountering a charging station that provides the driver 90% charge in less than 30 minutes.

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