URL:
Description:
A line of stickers and clothing related to living free of oil or gasoline through riding bicycles. Also contains a number of links related to bicycling as an alternative to oil.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Earth Toys e-Magazine
Description:
Our goal is to provide the means for the alternative energy industry to report on itself.
Life After the Oil Crash
Description:
Books, news and information related to the peak oil phenomena, and examining how society and individuals can survive the coming crisis.
A "gene" for extracting hydrogen?
Can a gene turn water into energy? discusses a development by Genexinh where they claim an ability to turn water into hydrogen and oxygen very cheaply. If true, if this pans out properly, it would be a very good result.
The stumbling block for the hydrogen economy is the problem of getting hydrogen. Hydrogen is everywhere, but it's hardly ever appearing as a gas by itself. The stars, like our Sun, are a perfect example of the hydrogen economy in action. The stars shine brightly for billions of years at a time, with no input of other fuels. Clearly that's an attractive option for powering our society.
On the surface of our planet hydrogen is always bound to something else. In water hydrogen is bonded with hydrogen, and there are a zillion other compounds having hydrogen in them. Running a fuel cell or other hydrogen based gizmo requires pure hydrogen.
There is an energy cost for extracting hydrogen from whatever molecules it is in. That energy cost is always higher than the energy you receive from using the resulting hydrogen as a fuel.
Genexinh has developed a way for a biological organism to do this. The advantage is the energy to extract hydrogen is supplied by the organism. By feeding the organism with light, water and food, it will extract hydrogen from water.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
The cost of the Iraq war? Nuclear proliferation?
The situation: The Iraq war and situation are worsening. A couple days ago some members of the Medhi army took over a town, for a short time, declaring the formation of an "Republic" in Iraq that's outside the central government. Their leader told them to stand down, and they did, but it certainly reflects the will on the street. Namely undoing the damage done by the British 100 years ago when they caused the three peoples, Kurds, Sunni and Shia to form a single country.
The situation: Iran may or may not be developing nuclear weapons. They have a nuclear program whose side effects include weapons grade material. Their president is being very confrontational with the rest of the world, but to be fair the Bush administration only knows confrontaton as well.
The situation: North Korea has recently exploded a small nuclear bomb, giving them entree to the exclusive club of countries who have nuclear weapons.
In 2002 GW Bush declared an Axis of Evil vowing to stop nuclear proliferation etc. It was Iraq, Iran and North Korea he said was in this Axis. But we see the failure of that declaration, don't we?
The Iraq war has gone terribly astray. This article The week the war unravelled: Bush to 'refocus' Iraq strategy gives a rundown of the recent events that illustrate this. Emergency meetings with the leaders of the Iraq war effort, calls for quick pullout from Iraq, growing calls for a partitioning of Iraq into three semi-autonomous zones, etc.
At the same time we have real nuclear proliferation happening. Nuclear proliferation being the real danger in this world, not this ephemeral danger of Terrorism, and not this false danger that was Iraq. They propped up Iraq as the extreme threat and conned us into launching a war there, while at the same time the real threats grew and grew.
And what of Pakistan? Pakistan is the country from whom both Iran and North Korea acquired their nuclear technology. Without Pakistan exporting nuclear know-how neither of these countries would have gotten as far as they are. Yet, are we threatening Pakistan? Nope. They are (supposedly) U.S. allies.
And what of the Taliban and al Qaeda? They are having a resurgence in Afghanistan.
The key theme I'm seeing in all this is the mismanagement of Iraq. The situation in Iraq seems to be highly distracting, leading U.S. leadership to focus all their attention on Iraq while other countries and situations are not getting the attention they deserve.
I think we can call this "Throwing the baby out with the bathwater" eh?
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Depleted Uranium sickening American troops
U.S. Soldiers Are Sick of It discusses American troops being strangely sick, and pointing the finger at the use of Depleted Uranium munitions as the cause.
Friday, October 13, 2006
National Biodiesel Board
Description:
The NBB is the national trade association representing the biodiesel industry as the coordinating body for research and development in the US. It was founded in 1992 by state soybean commodity groups, who were funding biodiesel research and development programs. Since that time, the NBB has developed into a comprehensive industry association, which coordinates and interacts with a broad range of cooperators including industry, government, and academia. NBB's membership is comprised of state, national, and international feedstock and feedstock processor organizations, biodiesel suppliers, fuel marketers and distributors, and technology providers.
San Francisco Biodiesel Cooperative
Description:
Group based in San Francisco that distributes Biodiesel and helps people convert to using it.
OilTruth.com
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Description:
Civilization as we know it is coming to an end soon. This is not the wacky proclamation of a doomsday cult, apocalypse bible prophecy sect, or conspiracy theory society. Rather, it is the scientific conclusion of the best paid, most widely-respected geologists, physicists, and investment bankers in the world. These are rational, professional, conservative individuals who are absolutely terrified by a phenomenon known as global "Peak Oil."
Culture Change
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Description:
Articles studying Peak Oil and the prospects for humanities survival of that event.
EnergyBulletin.net
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Description:
EnergyBulletin.net is designed to be a clearinghouse for current information regarding the peak in global energy supply. We will publish news and research concerning: The current situation and trajectory, such as oil & gas production data, economic or societal clues to decline profiles, and relevant institutional pronouncements; Innovations or partial solutions to this crisis, such as renewable energy generation capacity and research (including EROEI assessments), alternative financial systems, or post-carbon urban agriculture; Any other issues which assist our understanding of the broader implications of the peak
Permatopia
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Description:
Surviving and thriving after Peak Oil will require using the resources currently invested in the military. How we use the remaining half of the oil determines the future of human civilization: Will we use the remaining oil to make solar panels and relocalize food production, or will we use it to build more military equipment to control the oil as it runs out?
OilEmpire.us
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Description:
A "political map" to understanding the connection between the Peak Oil issue, and the need to invade the Middle East to grab the oil.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Bajaj Scooters, 120 miles/gallon?
Bajaj Scooters are made in India, and are driven with a 4-cycle 150cc engine. The importer claims a maximum speed of 50 miles/hr so this scooter would not be such a good fit for American highways. But that speed allows one to drive on expressways pretty readily, and technically one is allowed on the highways with a 50 miles/hr vehicle.
The importer cannot give a precise miles/gallon figure. Largely it varies widely based on driving habits. However they claim efficiencies starting at 70 miles/gallon upwards to 120 miles/gallon or thereabouts.
bajajscooter @ Yahoo Groups is a place to go for email discussion of these vehicles.
The also import three-wheelers to the U.S. Three-wheelers are ubiquitous in India. Most often they operate as taxi's, but they come as vans and trucks as well. I have never seen one driving an American road, but they can be imported and driven here.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
40mpg.org
URL:
Description:
We invite you to join us in working to make 40 miles per gallon the standard for all automobiles in the United States. The benefits are obvious: we reduce dependence on Middle Eastern oil, making us more secure; we lower the carbon emissions into the atmosphere that contribute to global warming; and we put America's technology community to work on these important problems, creating jobs, ensuring that the U.S. leads in the development and sale of new technologies.
Greater fuel efficiency just makes sense. It is technologically possible. The benefits are obvious. The obstacles can be overcome. Politicians need to know voters want it. Automakers need to hear from consumers directly.
California Hydrogen Highway
Description:
"The goal of the California Hydrogen Highway Network initiative is to support and catalyze a rapid transition to a clean, hydrogen transportation economy in California, thereby reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and protecting our citizens from health harms related to vehicle emissions. We have an opportunity to deal with these problems by investing in California's ability to innovate our way to a clean hydrogen future, thus bringing jobs, investment, and continued economic prosperity to California. We have an opportunity to prove to the world that a thriving environment and economy can co-exist."
Monday, October 9, 2006
Re: North Korea says conducted nuclear test
North Korea says conducted nuclear test ... North Korea was one of the Axis of Evil countries which GW ominously warned us about a few years ago. It wasn't really clear why he wanted to label them as "evil", but he did. Iraq of course was another of them, as was Iran.
The phrase "axis of evil" drags the mind back to The Axis, which was the arrangement between Germany, Italy and Japan that led to World War II. The phrase implies cooperation between one group of countries to stand against another group of countries. But, really, how could we believe that Iran and Iraq could agree to stand together. After that long war fought between Iran and Iraq, how could they ever stand together? There is that principle, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" but I believe the divisions between the old Iraq regime, and the Iran regime, were too deep for even that principle to bring them together.
In any case, the danger Iran and Korea present are nuclear weapons developed outside the legal framework of the International Atomic Energy Commission. In other words, Nuclear Proliferation. The danger of nuclear proliferation is that if everybody has nukes, then eventually someone will again use them in warfare. And of course nuclear weapons are so vehemently dangerous that they should never be used in warfare.
Right, Mr. President?
Oh, wait, our dear President GW Bush wants to use nuclear weapons. I forgot.
In any case, back to North Korea. This story has been growing for quite some time, North Korea and its nuclear program. There have been on and off negotiations etc. And at the same time Iran has been moving towards nuclear weapons, while protesting their nuclear program is entirely peaceful.
But where has most of the U.S. resources been spent? Iraq. Iraq had no nuclear program, had no biological weapons program, etc. Yet the danger of a mushroom cloud coming at us from Iraq propelled the U.S. into a boondoggle of a war, that's costing hundreds of billions per year, costing tens of thousands of lives, creating great anger around the world toward the U.S. etc.
And all the while North Korea and Iran have been developing their nuclear programs, outside the inspection system, outside the world legal system, etc. And because the U.S. is consumed with the war in Iraq we haven't had the freedom to take any actions against North Korea or Iran.
And it's worth considering what "take actions against" means.
Of what worth is Sovereingty? Being a sovereign nation means defending the country against all intrusions from outsiders, and that the nation makes its own decisions over its destiny.
So if a nation wishes to develop nuclear weapons, the assumption in nuclear proliferation theory is that the world cannot allow nuclear proliferation. The world cannot allow this because it's dangerous. The genie is out of the bottle with some countries, with nuclear weapons having already proliferated to a few countries during the 1950's. Any step by any country not already possessing nuclear weapons is of great concern. The weapons are so dangerous that, as I said before, the more widely available they are, the more possibility is they might be used again.
Hence the world powers have decided that no countries should "be allowed" to develop nuclear weapons unless they also submit to outside monitoring.
But what is this "be allowed" crap when we're talking about sovereign nations? As sovereign nations shouldn't Iran and North Korea and Iraq have been free to do whatever they want? If one set of countries want their own sovereignty to be respected, shouldn't they respect the sovereignty of other countries?
In order to take action against North Korea or Iran the world powers must be ready to do as the U.S. has done against Iraq. Right? If they're going to run nuclear processing plants, then the world powers must be ready to invade those countries and destroy the plants. Right?
In other words, stopping nuclear proliferation requires violating the sovereignty of free nations.
Just so long as we understand what's at stake.
Saturday, October 7, 2006
Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas
Description:
ASPO is an informal network working with a very small budget, yet its voice is being heard, thanks in part to the Uppsala website. Perhaps its informal structure is its strength. It means that it can tell the truth freed of all the political, legalistic and commercial constraints that most organisations face. By all means, the subject of depletion is a sensitive one, being perhaps the most important single issue facing the modern world".
Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Proven Energy
URL:
Description:
They are a Scottish based manufacturer of reliable, high performance, small-scale wind turbines and we have installed over 700 wind turbines world wide.
Their range of turbines starts with the heavy duty Proven 600 W and progress to our newest model available in early 2007, the Proven 15 kW.
Appropriate Energy
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Description:
Complete Remote Area Power Systems, Wind Turbines, Wind-Diesel. They are an integrated renewable energy resource company dedicated to engineering the most economical and sustainable power solutions for remote areas located anywhere in the world.
Vestas Wind Systems
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Description:
Vestas is the world leader in wind technology and a driving force in the development of the wind power industry.
Vestas’ core business comprises the development, manufacture, sale, marketing and maintenance of wind power systems.
Wind Turbine Industries Corporation
Description:
Manufacturer of the Jacobs® wind turbine system. The Jacobs® wind Energy Systems have many features to insure reliability, performance & years of trouble free operation. These features provide protection against high and stormy winds, which could potentially damage the machine.
Solar Living Institute
Description:
The institute is located on a 12-acre demonstration center located in Hopland, California. Since 1992, over 25,000 students have attended hands-on workshops on renewable energy, ecological design, sustainable living practices and alternative construction techniques like strawbale, cob, and bamboo. Students come from all over the United States and from abroad to attend classes taught by professionals in the field.
The site is powered entirely by working renewable energy systems, and features a 5,000 sq. foot strawbale building with innovative passive solar design and the creative use of recycled materials. The gorgeous landscape features a permaculture design with a wide selection of organically grown edible and ornamental plant varieties. Interactive displays and specialized tours make the Solar Living Center a major destination and regional learning center for school groups, environmentalists, design professionals and the general public.
Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program
Description:
U.S. Department of Energy, Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program
Wind Energy Technologies
Description:
Learn about how wind energy works, what to consider if you want to use wind power at home, and the latest in research and development.
Native Wind Energy Independence
Description:
Indian Tribes in the nation’s heartland are involved in an unprecedented effort to harness the inexhaustible wind resources of the Dakotas to generate renewable power. Native Wind was formed to protect the environment and promote the welfare of indigenous people by facilitating the development of renewable energy resources on tribal lands.
See also www.nativeenergy.com
Danish Wind Energy Association
Description:
The Danish Wind Industry Association (DWIA) is a non-profit association whose purpose is to promote wind energy at home and abroad.
The association was founded in 1981. DWIA today represents 99.9 per cent of Danish wind turbine manufacturing measured in MW and more than 140 companies with activities in the Danish wind industry.
American Wind Energy Association
Description:
The national (U.S.) trade association for the wind energy industry. They promote wind energy as a clean source of electricity for consumers around the world. AWEA is a national trade association that represents wind power plant developers, wind turbine manufacturers, utilities, consultants, insurers, financiers, researchers, and others involved in the wind industry -- one of the world's fastest growing energy industries. In addition, AWEA represents hundreds of wind energy advocates from around the world.
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