tagged w/ off the grid
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David Crane, the CEO of one of the nation’s largest electric companies, has become a leading proponent of renewable energy. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, he explains how, in the face of government paralysis, the private sector can help lead the shift away from fossil fuels.
David Crane, president and CEO of NRG Energy, is not your typical power company executive, as becomes clear when he calls climate change a “slow-moving catastrophe” and “the fundamental issue of our day.” As head of a Fortune 500 company that produces electricity for up to 20 million U.S. households, he is still neck-deep in hydrocarbons, with more than 90 percent of NRG’s electricity production coming from natural gas, coal, and oil. But the future, vows Crane, will look radically different.
NRG EnergyDavid Crane In an interview with Yale Environment 360 senior editor Fen Montaigne, Crane said he believes the U.S. electricity-generating market is on the verge of a profound transformation, not unlike the era two decades ago when the antiquated world of land-line telephones and “Ma Bell” companies was about to give way to cell phones and mobile communications. The electricity future, says Crane, will be transformed by the widespread adoption of three innovations: solar panels on residential and commercial roofs, electric cars in garages, and truly “smart meters” that will seamlessly transfer power to and from homes, electric vehicles, and the grid.
His long-term goal? To see the U.S. transportation sector kick the habit of imported oil and run on electricity generated primarily from renewable sources, especially solar power. Lamenting the political gridlock in Washington, Crane said, “We’re really putting our hopes in the free market system and the American consumer embracing technological innovation.”
Yale Environment 360: What’s your assessment of the energy politics in the U.S. now and what does it mean for a power generator like yourself, who is interested in moving the country in the direction of renewables?
David Crane: In the last four to five years, energy and the environment have become completely politicized along the same red/blue lines that divide every other major issue in Washington. I think that is extremely unfortunate because if you look at the history of energy and environmental policy — well, the last big energy bill, which was passed in 2005, was passed with bipartisan support. The Clean Air Act of 1990 was signed by George [H.W.] Bush. So the fall into partisanship is definitely a step backwards.
There was a fair degree of optimism on what I think is the fundamental issue of our day — climate change. That optimism peaked when President Obama was elected in 2008. Throughout that campaign he listed climate change as one of his three highest priorities. I would say that effort was entirely unsuccessful. Now we have shifted to a situation where the best you can hope from the government is to do no harm. And maybe help along the edges of facilitating things by eliminating red tape. So we’re really putting our hopes in the free market system and the American consumer embracing technological innovation, which will have the impact of promoting sustainability.
e360: What can you do as a major power generator to nudge the country toward a renewable energy future?
Crane:I think the most important thing is to make the American public aware that now they have energy choices in a way that they never really did. You don’t just have to settle for using electricity in your house that is supplied by coal-fired power plants on the grid. And you don’t just have to put oil that comes from the Middle East in your gas tank. You can buy an By far the biggest opportunity for those of us on the electricity side is transportation energy.”electric car. You can put solar panels on your roof. You have choices now.
I mean the people who were opposed to climate change legislation used one of two tactics. They either said, “Well, we don’t believe it’s happening.” Which, of course, is just a bald-faced lie. Or the second part of the one/two punch is, “We can’t afford to do anything about it because a synonym for the word “green” is “expensive.” But looking forward, electric vehicles will be far cheaper to operate than internal combustion engine vehicles. And solar panels on the roof will provide power more cheaply than taking power from the grid.
e360: Can you explain why a power generator who is making nice profits producing power from coal and natural gas would want to begin pushing his company in the direction of renewables?
Crane: It’s about energy market share. Historically, when the country and the world were growing, the energy industry was always in a struggle to provide enough energy in various forms for people to use it. It’s almost unheard of for an energy company to truly market its energy, because it didn’t need to. But the global recession of 2008, combined with some technological innovation that was playing off the high energy prices of the years before the global recession, have come together at the same time. So we now have these vast energy resources available to us, like natural gas as a result of hydraulic fracturing, and the demand [in the U.S.] for energy products is less. So various forms of energy have to compete with each other.
And by far the biggest opportunity for those of us on the electricity side is transportation energy, because the U.S. spends a lot more on moving cars on American roads than lighting houses.
The electricity side of the energy sector is 50 percent coal and 20 percent natural gas and 20 percent nuclear. The transportation side is almost all oil. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re on the left or the right of the political spectrum, no American wants to keep importing 3 million barrels of oil a day from the Middle East. So there’s huge public policy benefit to shifting the transportation sector to something other than oil.
e360: Could you talk about NRG’s move into utility-scale solar, and also your vision long-term of large-scale solar, versus distributed [smaller-scale] solar power?
Crane:So far most of our business has been utility-scale solar — gigantic plants in the desert. The biggest solar [project] we have is 295 megawatts. That’s something like 6 million solar panels. Those projects are really dependent on two things, because they cost over a billion dollars: the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program and California’s You put an electric car in your garage and you really have a mini power plant.”33 percent Renewable Portfolio Standard, and the fact that the two largest California utilities have been willing to sign long-term agreements in order to meet their requirements [to obtain 33 percent of their electricity from renewables by 2020] under the Renewable Portfolio Standards. We have over 800 megawatts of projects out there, which is a huge number for solar. But our view is that because the DOE Loan Guarantee Program is going away and the California utilities are coming close to putting themselves in a position to satisfy the requirement, there will be fewer of those projects in the future.
We expect to continue to pursue that business and to do well, but that’s not going to be the explosive-growth part of the industry. The explosive-growth part will be between distributed solar power, which is like 1 to 10 megawatt size, and then residential, which is measured in kilowatts. We have so many parking lots and warehouse rooftops and residential locations where people want to reduce their monthly electric bills and that is just an enormous area of growth.
More at the linkDavid Crane, the CEO of one of the nation’s largest electric companies, has... more
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The evolution of the design of a zero energy modern cost effective housing concept & the challenges faced along the way. Two guys pursue a dream to revolutionize the way we look at "affordable housing" without any capital resources whatsoever.
After more than a year and a half of struggling to materialize the vision into reality the company is finally capitalized.
This is our concept.
This is our story.The evolution of the design of a zero energy modern cost effective housing concept... more
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'Talked about that dream to someday live off the grid in some farm. It'd be a place where I can grow my own food and play ride the horsey (or something close to that). Which is the extreme opposite from my growing up here in...'Talked about that dream to someday live off the grid in some farm. It'd be... more
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The grand opening of the EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park is set to jump off the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. On Sunday, April 18 Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ) will be holding its 10th Annual People's Earth Day celebration to throw open the doors of one of the first environmental justice education centers of its kind anywhere. In San Francisco, one of the greenest cities in America, a grassroots environmental justice youth empowerment organization is about to raise its proverbial green roof on a virtually carbon neutral building meant for environmental education of its own and the greater community. To be located in Bayview Hunters Point, a neighborhood with a toxic legacy, the EcoCenter and its signature reclaimed aluminum Great Blue Heron which was sculpted, melted, and poured by District youth could become a symbol of self-determination for a community that like the phoenix medallion on Coit Tower at Telegraph Hill is on a meteoric rise out of the ashes of the implosion of a former PG & E power plant whose site is less than a football field away. As a staff educator noted, just over a century later on the anniversary of the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, a small non-profit funded by government funders and private donations is going to shake things up in the southeast corner of this city full of hybrid cars and locavores by showing the world that a few youth with green jobs can harness the fire of the sun to think globally and act locally.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Solar-powered-classroom-about-to-make-debut-90535939.html
http://www.earthday.org/events/10th-annual-peoples-earth-day-grand-opening-ecology-education-center
www.lejyouth.orgThe grand opening of the EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park is set to jump off the... more
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The adorable K-6th grade Navajo children during the second week of school at the Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona.
Narrated and videotaped by Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard, executive director of the Navajo Lutheran Mission
Featuring K-6 students, teachers and staff.
1-928-659-4201 (Office)
1-928-659-4202 (School)
Navajo Lutheran Mission School:
NELM School Principal Felisita Jones
Kindergarten teacher Sharon Woody
1st grade teacher Lark Pettit
2nd grade teacher Jolene Wilson
3rd and 4th grade teacher Pauline Wagon
5th and 6th grade teacher Eileen Holiday
Tara Chee, NELM Community Services Coordinator and Navajo Language and Culture Instructor
2009 Board of Directors
Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission
Ron Augustson, Chair
Janice Lee Jim
Roger Johnsen
Jerry Thomas
Bill Heincke
Richard Wixom
David Ulibarri
Jeannie M. Harvey
Christel Badey
Clarence Begay
Sue Vogel-Herrera
Alice Natale
Support the Navajo Lutheran Mission through financial donations, volunteering
and many other national programs.
http://www.nelm.org/support.htm
Campbell's Labels for Education
http://www.labelsforeducation.com
Boxtops for Education
http://www.boxtops4education.com
NELM Related Links
More on new NELM executive director:
http://www.nelm.org/special/newExec2009/index.html
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Navajo-Lutheran-Mission/162194916280
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/NELMRockPointAZ
myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/navajolutheranmission
bliptv:
http://NavajoLuthMission.blip.tv
youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/NavajoLuthMission
WordPress blog:
http://navajolutheranmission.wordpress.com
Blogspot:
http://navajolutheranmission.blogspot.com
Zimbio:
http://www.zimbio.com/Navajo+Lutheran+Mission+in+Rock+Point%2C+AZ
Photobucket:
http://photobucket.com/NavajoLutheranMission
flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregdonnaphotos/sets/72157621891406253
Shutterfly:
http://navajolutheranmission.shutterfly.com
Flute music courtesy:
Carol Buckley, owner of Arizona Flutes and Native Arts in Camp Verde, AZ (high desert in Verde Valley) and a non-native flute musician specializing in American Indian music.
She has Michigan roots - lived in Davison and taught school in LakeVille Public Schools in Otisville, where she was a Speech and Language Pathologist.
In 1994 Buckley decided to refocus her life, escape from the cold weather, and move to the beautiful Verde Valley in Arizona’s high desert.
She is a poet and writer who plays Native American style flute music and has great respect for the Navajo and other Native American tribes and their respective cultures/heritage.
Carol also teaches classes on how to play the Native flute.
Songs used from Carol Buckley's “Rhythm Keepers” and “Raindrops on Roses” CDs
Navajo Lutheran Mission Second Week of School & Photo Montage:
Carol Buckley's “Raindrops on Roses” CD
Track 4 “Living Life”
Track 6 “Dancing Moccasins”
wk email:
sales@arizonaflutes.com
Arizona Flutes & Native Arts
P.O. Box 1511
Camp Verde, AZ
86322
1-928-300-4781 (wk)
Arizona Flutes:
http://www.arizonaflutes.com/index.html
Navajo Nation Flag used in this video was created by artist R. Daniel Markstedt of Linköping in central Sweden:
Wikipedia username Himasaram:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Navajo_flag.svg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Himasaram
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Himasaram/gallery
Knox College
2 East South Street
Galesburg, IL
61401-4999
1-309-341-7000
Knox College
http://www.knox.edu
Knox College students at NELM
http://www.knox.edu/News-and-Events/News-Archive/Knox-faculty-and-students-study-in-Americas-Southwest.html
Cal Farley's Boys Ranch in Texas
http://www.calfarley.org
Boys Ranch
Located 36 miles northwest of Amarillo, Texas, on US Highway 385
http://www.calfarley.org/boysranch/pages/default.aspx
Cal Farley's Girlstown, U.S.A.
Situated on 1,425 acres of land eight miles south of Whiteface, Texas, (west of Lubbock)
http://www.calfarley.org/girlstown/pages/default.aspxThe adorable K-6th grade Navajo children during the second week of school at the... more
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(Rock Point, AZ) - Videos produced by two Pittsburgh area churches led by Pastor Susan C. Schwartz that sent missionaries to the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona in July 2009.
Volunteers from several faith traditions and churches painted murals and did other work at the Navajo Lutheran Mission including the Hope Lutheran Church of Forest Hills and St. John Lutheran Church in Swissvale.
Related Links:
Navajo Lutheran Mission:
http://www.nelm.org
New NELM executive director Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard:
http://www.nelm.org/special/newExec2009/index.html
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Navajo-Lutheran-Mission/162194916280
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/NELMRockPointAZ
myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/navajolutheranmission
bliptv:
http://NavajoLuthMission.blip.tv
youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/NavajoLuthMission
WordPress blog:
http://navajolutheranmission.wordpress.com
Blogspot:
http://navajolutheranmission.blogspot.com
Zimbio:
http://www.zimbio.com/Navajo+Lutheran+Mission+in+Rock+Point%2C+AZ
Photobucket:
http://photobucket.com/NavajoLutheranMission
flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregdonnaphotos/sets/72157621891406253
Shutterfly:
http://navajolutheranmission.shutterfly.com
Flute music by Travis Terry
http://www.myspace.com/dtravisterry
Hope Lutheran Church of Forest Hills
353 Ridge Ave
Pittsburgh, PA
15221-4111
1-412-242-4476 (church office)
Blog about 2009 NELM trip by volunteers from several Pittsburgh area churches including Hope Lutheran Church of Forest Hills and St. John Lutheran Church in Swissvale:
http://scs1249.blogspot.com
Hope Lutheran Church of Forest Hills near Pittsburgh
Hopeforesthills@aol.com
Preview story on April 9, 2009 in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Pittsburgh Live about area church group heading to NEML to paint. Pastor Susan C. Schwartz heads Hope Lutheran Church of Forest Hills and St. John Lutheran Church in Swissvale and Kathy Gaberson, a Hope Lutheran member.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_619790.html
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette preview story:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09141/971544-56.stm?cmpid=news.xml
More about the flute music featured in this video:
Travis Terry is a native Flutist of the Pima Nation who is born of the indigenous Gila River Pima Nation in Sacaton, Arizona.
On his myspace page, Native flutist Travis Terry says:
"I grew up surrounded by ethnic music and instruments of long ago, including the Native flute," Terry said. “As a child I had natural appreciation for music, which contributed to me becoming a self-taught flutist in my adult years. My military service has sent me around the world exposing me to the musical traditions of various cultures."
"Ethnic music was a continual interest and drew me closer to this dream of creating music. I have always been grateful to my parents (Irving and Caroline) for supporting my dreams and at the same time continually teaching me and my sisters (Denise and Dawn) the indigenous Pima culture, traditions and language. These values have aided me in blending contemporary culture with this heritage of the 'Desert People.' This conscious blending of cultures is very much reflected in my musical compositions and playing style."
"After my military service, I visited Canyon De Chelly where my good fortune led me to meet my lovely wife Cara and settle in Chinle, AZ. Cara and her family taught me the ways and language of the Dine (Navajo) people."(Rock Point, AZ) - Videos produced by two Pittsburgh area churches led by Pastor Susan... more
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(Rock Point, AZ) - During July 2009, volunteers from the Lutheran Church of the Cross in Sacramento, CA visited the Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, AZ to assist the Navajo people with the health of their livestock.
Despite the extreme summer heat and the remote Navajo homes, church members helped deworm and vaccinate 500 sheep and goats plus 200 horses.
The volunteers from the Lutheran Church of the Cross paid for the expense of vaccinating over 700 livestock.
The vaccination program badly needs funding and anyone wish to help should contact the Navajo Lutheran Mission (see contact info below)
The Navajo Lutheran Mission extends special thanks to Arizona Navajo musician Anthony Maloney, who music is featured in this video and will be used in upcoming videos (scroll down for more info and links about Anthony Maloney)
Songs by Maloney included in this video are "Our Warriors" and "A Better Life."
Navajo Lutheran Mission:
http://www.nelm.org
New NELM executive director Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard:
http://www.nelm.org/special/newExec2009/index.html
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Navajo-Lutheran-Mission/162194916280
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/NELMRockPointAZ
myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/navajolutheranmission
bliptv:
http://NavajoLuthMission.blip.tv
youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/NavajoLuthMission
WordPress blog:
http://navajolutheranmission.wordpress.com
Blogspot:
http://navajolutheranmission.blogspot.com
Zimbio:
http://www.zimbio.com/Navajo+Lutheran+Mission+in+Rock+Point%2C+AZ
Photobucket:
http://photobucket.com/NavajoLutheranMission
flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregdonnaphotos/sets/72157621891406253
Shutterfly:
http://navajolutheranmission.shutterfly.com
Church of the Cross in Sacramento, CA:
Church of the Cross
4465 H Street
Sacramento, CA
95819
Church of the Cross (ELCA Lutheran)
http://www.xross.org
1-916-456-8880 (office)
Pastor serves as a Chaplain at California State University Sacramento
Church is on the Board of Directors of the Sacramento Area Campus Ministry.
http://www.sacacmin.com
Rev. Michael Walton
(916) 548-4624
michael@mdwalton.com
Wikipedia on the Navajo Nation:
The Navajo Nation (Diné Bikéyah in the Navajo language) is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland covering about 26,000 square miles (17 million acres), occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico. It's the largest land area assigned primarily to a Native American jurisdiction within the United States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajo_Nation
Navajo Nation Flag used in this video was created by artist R. Daniel Markstedt of Linköping in central Sweden:
Daniel Markstedt Wikipedia username Himasaram:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Navajo_flag.svg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Himasaram
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Himasaram/gallery
The Navajo Lutheran Mission extends special thanks to Arizona Navajo Musician Anthony Maloney, who music is featured in this video and will be used in upcoming videos
Songs by Maloney included in this video are "Our Warriors" and "A Better Life."
Navajo (Diné) singer, songwriter and poet Anthony K. Maloney, a member of the Navajo Nation (Diné Bikéyah) from Yuba City, AZ "Music City"
Anthony Maloney official website includes background & profile:
http://www.akmrecords.bravehost.com
Anthony Maloney music on soundclick:
http://www.soundclick.com/anthonymaloney
amaloney1998_98@yahoo.com
1-253-661-3652
Links to a few of Maloney's songs:
Taken Away
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=1059384
We Were
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=1107571
The High Life
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=1580501
Our Warriors
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=1692003
A Better Life
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=1737075
4-Directions
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=1755167
What are my Chances
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=2281129
Walk Away
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=3379744(Rock Point, AZ) - During July 2009, volunteers from the Lutheran Church of the Cross... more
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You may have heard about them: Off-the-gridders living in radical opposition to modern amenities by growing their own food and cutting themselves off from the rest of society. Not so. Sure, more people are choosing to cut their dependence on the power grid, the grocery story and fuel pump. But these new homesteaders are hardly radicals—they are simply DIYers who, for a variety of reasons, revel in self-reliance. This is their story.
In a 4500-square-foot lot in Oakland, Calif., Novella Carpenter grows broccoli and lettuce right next to fig trees and passion fruit vines. Included in her annual crop: 1095 eggs, 200 pounds of tomatoes, 16 quarts of honey, 40 rabbits and 210 quarts of goat's milk. In the U.S., more than 4800 farmers markets and 2500 Community Supported Agriculture farms supply locally grown food. Studies have shown that organic methods, like those Carpenter uses, can help soil store 1000-plus pounds of carbon per acre. Other approaches can cause carbon loss.
Efficiency From the Land: Tina and Bill Hodge built their home right into the Warner Mountains of California. The curving 11/4-inch-thick walls—made of 3/8-inch rebar covered with six layers of 1/2-inch steel mesh and cement—are roughly as strong as an inch of steel. As a result, the roof can support 2 feet of wet earth—plus a tractor. There are now 3.18 million square feet of green roofs in the United States. Research has shown that such roofs can reduce heat gain by 95 percent, heat loss by 26 percent and stormwater runoff by 54 percent.
Reading the Meter: The two turbines towering over a footbridge at Thomas Beck’s home in Estes Park, Colo., each generate 400 watts of electricity. Last year, 3521 residential wind turbines were sold in the United States. Photovoltaic cells on the roof of Beck’s home and power house produce another 2440 watts. Across the country, 115,000 households now have photovoltaics; 61,000 of those feed energy into the grid.You may have heard about them: Off-the-gridders living in radical opposition to modern... more
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Homegrown is the inspiring true story of the amazing Dervaes family who are living off
the grid in the heart of urban Pasadena, California. They harvest over 6,000 pounds of
produce on less than a quarter of an acre while running a popular website that is known
around the world. The film is an intimate human portrait of what itʼs like to live like Little
House on the Prairie in the 21st Century.
http://www.pathtofreedom.com/Homegrown is the inspiring true story of the amazing Dervaes family who are living off... more
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ORGANIC GARDENING WEEK @ CAMAS CENTRE, ISLE OF MULL
Why not join in a week of gardening at Camas, from Saturday 21st–Friday 27th April 2012?
This will be an opportunity to do some useful, practical work in the vegetable garden at Camas and will be suitable for all gardening abilities, those with experience and those who are willing and just enjoy being close to the soil!
There will also be time to relax, do some exploring and experience living together at Camas.
If you are interested or can pass the information to someone who might be that would be great!
£189 (inc. VAT) for 6 nights (Saturday – Friday morning) including all food, accommodation and activities.
To find out more visit http://www.iona.org.uk and click on the Camas section
tel: 01681 700404 (+441681 700404 overseas). e-mail: camas.bookings@iona.org.uk
Camas Centre, Ardfenaig, Bunessan, Isle of Mull, PA67 6DX, Scotland, UK.
EXPLORING CREATION WEEK @ CAMAS CENTRE, ISLE OF MULL
Join us at the Camas Centre on the Isle of Mull for a week of reflection, exploration, discussion and just enjoying the outdoors! The Celts spoke of two books in which it was possible to discover or ‘read' God. The little book was the Bible, the Big Book was creation. Kathy Galloway leads this reflective and recreational programme at the Camas Centre. Join us in reading a chapter of the 'big book'.
The week will be led by Kathy Galloway, former leader of the Iona Community and current head of Christian Aid Scotland.
£230 (inc. VAT) for 6 nights (Saturday – Friday morning) including all food, accommodation and activities.
To find out more visit http://www.iona.org.uk and click on the Camas section
tel: 01681 700404 (+441681 700404 overseas). e-mail: camas.bookings@iona.org.uk
Camas Centre, Ardfenaig, Bunessan, Isle of Mull, PA67 6DX, Scotland, UK.
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ORGANIC GARDENING WEEK @ CAMAS... more
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Here's an event you might find interesting! It's in Scotland, on the Isle of Mull - one of the inner Hebrides. Camas is a mile and a half from the nearest road, with a wind turbine and eco-friendly toilets, and a pretty spectacular location!
9 – 15 May 2009: Off Grid, Off Oil - a low carbon life
Join us for a week experiencing and discussing life on the other side of the oil revolution.
Using the renovated Camas as our case study this is a week to explore how we can live a satisfying and enjoyable low carbon life. It flows from the Iona Community’s commitment to the Christian Aid ‘Cut the Carbon Campaign’ and will be of interest to people in Eco-congregations and those curious about what life might be like without oil. Start by travelling to Camas by public transport and sharing with others any difficulties you have had in getting here!
Led by Raymond Young, a Regeneration Consultant and Member of the Iona Community.
More info
http://www.iona.org.uk/camas_home.php
http://www.iona.org.uk/Camas_Individuals.phpHere's an event you might find interesting! It's in Scotland, on the Isle of... more
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Korean researchers have found a way to make lithium-ion batteries, the power packs commonly found in most consumer electronics, hold eight times more charge than they do now.
"....Cho added that his team’s also working on merging the tech with solar panels."Korean researchers have found a way to make lithium-ion batteries, the power packs... more
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When you think about it why did we ever start flushing toilets with fresh water? Surely we can do better than that? Can there be any problem with using grey water for flushing if for no other area? I think in CA you can use some grey water for watering outdoor lawns and plants. Need to check regulations for your area. When you think about it why did we ever start flushing toilets with fresh water?... more
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Working on a small scale sometimes makes all the difference in the world. Witness the latest idea in wind energy from NY Chautauqua company.Working on a small scale sometimes makes all the difference in the world. Witness the... more
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According to the Economist,"EVERYONE loves a booming market, and most booms happen on the back of technological change. The world’s venture capitalists, having fed on the computing boom of the 1980s, the internet boom of the 1990s and the biotech and nanotech boomlets of the early 2000s, are now looking around for the next one. They think they have found it: energy.
Many past booms have been energy-fed: coal-fired steam power, oil-fired internal-combustion engines, the rise of electricity, even the mass tourism of the jet era. But the past few decades have been quiet on that front. Coal has been cheap. Natural gas has been cheap. The 1970s aside, oil has been cheap. The one real novelty, nuclear power, went spectacularly off the rails. The pressure to innovate has been minimal.
In the space of a couple of years, all that has changed. Oil is no longer cheap; indeed, it has never been more expensive. Moreover, there is growing concern that the supply of oil may soon peak as consumption continues to grow, known supplies run out and new reserves become harder to find.
The idea of growing what you put in the tank of your car, rather than sucking it out of a hole in the ground, no longer looks like economic madness. Nor does the idea of throwing away the tank and plugging your car into an electric socket instead. Much of the world’s oil is in the hands of governments who have little sympathy with the rich West. When a former head of America’s Central Intelligence Agency allies himself with tree-hugging greens that his outfit would once have suspected of subversion, you know something is up. Yet that is one tack James Woolsey is trying in order to reduce his country’s dependence on imported oil.
The price of natural gas, too, has risen in sympathy with oil. That is putting up the cost of electricity. Wind- and solar-powered alternatives no longer look so costly by comparison. It is true that coal remains cheap, and is the favoured fuel for power stations in industrialising Asia. But the rich world sees things differently.
In theory, there is a long queue of coal-fired power stations waiting to be built in America. But few have been completed in the past 15 years and many in that queue have been put on hold or withdrawn, for two reasons. First, Americans have become intolerant of large, polluting industrial plants on their doorsteps. Second, American power companies are fearful that they will soon have to pay for one particular pollutant, carbon dioxide, as is starting to happen in other parts of the rich world. Having invested heavily in gas-fired stations, only to find themselves locked into an increasingly expensive fuel, they do not want to make another mistake.
That has opened up a capacity gap and an opportunity for wind and sunlight. The future price of these resources—zero—is known. That certainty has economic value as a hedge, even if the capital cost of wind and solar power stations is, at the moment, higher than that of coal-fired ones...."
According to the Economist,"EVERYONE loves a booming market, and most booms... more
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