Why You Don't Want Gas Prices to get Cheaper

find out here.

Footsteps into Energy

Can producing energy be as simple as walking? Yes...with the new Pavegen Systems product. 'Paving slabs harvest kinetic energy in high footfall environments converting it into electricity.'

Image: Pavegen Systems

CAP-and-TRADE, is it the way to go?

A Cap-and-Trade program to reduce carbon emissions has been in discussion for many years, and even after the Kyoto Protocol it is still not in place. Simply put, this is a program of 'emissions trading' in which governments set an upper limit on emission permits and allow businesses and other organizations to purchase and trade the permits. Through time, the upper limit is lowered with the long term goal of cutting emissions.

So is cap-and-trade the way to go...I'm not so sure. Essentially, it allows developed countries to purchase emissions credits from developing countries, and as a result, the biggest polluters continue business as usual.

Rather than continuing down this dim path, perhaps we should address the root of the problem and incentivize innovation.

Here is an interesting article that goes further into this discussion.

Image Credit:http://nicedeb.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/kansas-city-cap-and-tax-protest/

Why Not Oil Sands?

This video explains precisely why...watch it to learn more about the tar sand debate taking place in Alberta, Canada.

Image Credit: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/_we_have_writte.php

Project Laundry?

That's right, Project Laundry List (not Runway)!

Image Credit: http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/2009/08/10/eco-tip-tuesdays-air-your-clean-laundry/

Have you ever stopped to think about just how much energy your modern day washer and dryer consumes?  Consider how often you do laundry, and your neighbors, and all the people in your region, your country and around the globe and well, it adds up pretty quickly.

Project Laundry List is bringing back clotheslines. Why waste electricity to dry your wash when you can hang it out in the sun? And don't forget that cold water washing is more efficient as well.

So, let it all hang out....your clean laundry in the sun that is!

Read more at Grist.

100% Clean Energy by 2030

Is it possible?

Scientist's Mark Jacobson from Stanford and Mark Delucchi from UC Davis believe so. They even created an interactive presentation, Powering a Green Planet, to show how.

They are relying on exisiting technologies that are proven to work, and have devised a plan to phase in a WWS (wind, water and sun) infrastructure.

Image Credit: http://www.topnews.in/wind-water-and-sun-beat-biofuels-nuclear-and-coal-clean-energy-297577

The technology is there, it is a huge investment but one that is economically feasible when considering the long-term...now it is up to politicians to make it happen!

This presentation on Scientific American is the best I've seen so don't skip it! For a ranking of energy sources along with brief explanations, pro's, con's and sometimes audio explanations, check out slide 5.

Calculating CARBON

There are numerous on-line Carbon Footprint Calculators to assess your business's or household's green house gas (GHG) emissions....to name a few:

The Seattle Climate Action Plan Carbon Footprint Calulcator

The Sierra Club Clearwater Carbon Calculator

The Berkeley Institute of the Environment Cool Climate Carbon Footprint Calculator

It is not so important which calculator you chose, but that you go through the process itself. The first step to a brighter future is to benchmark where you currently are, and this is an easy and quick exercise that everyone should make time for. From there you can set goals and start taking the necessary steps to reach your envisoned future!

SOLAR Shingle unveiled

"The Dow Chemical Company unveiled its line of DOW™ POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle, revolutionary photovoltaic solar panels in the form of solar shingles that can be integrated into rooftops with standard asphalt shingle materials. The solar shingle systems are expected to be available in limited quantities by mid-2010 and projected to be more widely available in 2011, putting the power of solar electricity generation directly and conveniently in the hands of homeowners."

These innovative BIPV's (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) have been long anticipated and are expected to revolutionize the solar industry.

Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives

The Green Tax Guide 2009 is your official e-reference for green tax incentives.

There is a fee involved ($29.00), but this small investment will provide a means of big savings for your green-minded business!

It is also worth while to check out DSIRE, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency. Established in 1995, "DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency."

SOLAR Christmas Lights

As the holidays are quickly approaching keep these Christmas Solar String Lights on your list! Recharge by day and save energy by night!

Passive House Movement

Super-efficient.

Cost effective.
Carbon-neutrality within reach.
Today.


This is the slogan of The Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), a consulting and research firm working to further the implementation of Passive House standards and techniques nationwide, which is much more evident throughout Europe at this time.
 
PHIUS has developed software and tools to aid in this effort along with a Passive House certification to award projects that meet their strict energy efficiency standards.

What is Your Footprint

Carbon footprints are the talk of the time and people seem to be more concerned about the amount of GHG emissions being emitted into the atmosphere, in particular carbon which contributes to climate change. There are numerous carbon calculators available on the web, some which analyze your personal footprint while others look at carbon footprints of entire nations.

These tools were created to raise awareness on the issue and to simulate change. As you are probably aware, North America has an astounding footprint in comparison to most other continents in the world. As Americans, it is our responsibility to bring this statistic down by knowing our numbers and living lighter on the earth.

Nuclear...the Necessary Evil?

NO! I recently read the article The Necessary Evil of Nuclear Power which prompted me to delve into the topic further. This article suggests that nuclear power is a huge part of our green energy future...simply because it is a low emission alternative to fossil fuels, unlike coal and natural gas power plants which emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. This perspective seems a bit one-sided to me. Granted, carbon is the talk of the time and an issue to be addressed, it is certainly not the only criteria for green energy.

We need to take a whole systems perspective on the matter and analyze the process from beginning to end. In looking at nuclear in this way, it becomes grossly apparent that this is NOT a viable long term solution.

Uranium, the source of energy for nuclear power, is a scarce natural resource. This metallic chemical occurs naturally in low concentrations but when it is mined to a large degree higher concentrations are brought to the earth's surface, at rates faster than nature can cycle through it. Therefore, the concentration of urnaium builds up over time essentially as toxins to our earth.


Not to be overlooked are health concerns, afterall, uranium is radioactive. Perhaps it is only weakly radioactive at best but when in high concentrations this becomes a concern. Ever wonder why workers in nuclear power plants wear safety gear and have higher rates of cancer....hmmmm


And, the biproduct of this so called green process is plutonium, highly radioactive waste that has no use other than for nuclear bombs!

For a more well rounded perspective of this subject refer to this article:Time for Change

The POWER behind the electrical grid

Is the massive electrical grid that provides power to all things we know, including the laptop I am typing on, sufficient enough to take on renewable energy sources? As population continues to soar, the exisitng electrical infrastructure becomes more stressed and less reliable. Just as our natural resources are not infinite energy sources, the power lines are only capable of carrying a finite amount of energy, oh the irony of this all.

Rather than continually repairing this obsolete grid (the easy option), perhaps it is time to focus on a Smart Grid that will take us into our renewable energy future. Though this huge undertaking will not happen overnight, it is a necesity of our times, one that we need to invest in NOW.

And in the meantime, we should be more aware of the amount of energy we consume, and take steps to reducing this load in each household, each office building and each community.

e2

e2 is an ongoing PBS series about The Economies of Being Environmentally Conscious. The series looks at design, energy, transport and various other topics through a sustainability lens.

Powering the Future in a Finite World

Climate change aside,  the real issue at hand is that we are quickly running out of the natural resources that our global economy depends upon. Rather than focusing on bandaid approaches to sustainability, we need to think upsream and address the actual symptoms. Rather than sequestering carbon underground (which has unforeseen long-term consequences), we need to stop drilling, stop burning and stop depending on the Earth's finite resources to support our societal needs.

Sometimes it takes a crisis....and I think the global economic crisis will spawn more innovation, creativity and leaders than ever before.

Dave Hughes’s guide to The End of the Fossil Fuel Age paralells just this, read on!