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Nature_and_Environment.96 |
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Innovate Renewables Energies |
{Nature_and_Environment.96.4}: Suzanne Griffith {sggriffith} Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:30:27 CST (4 lines)
I was just reading a magazine article in a waiting room about solar thermal energy, which involves making steam in the desert using mirrors. Apparently it works pretty well and is cheaper than other forms of power generation in some instances.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.5}: James Files {riverrat} Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:47:02 CST (2 lines)
Do we have the same dentist? Do you rememeber what magazine it was? Could it have been Discover?
{Nature_and_Environment.96.6}: Suzanne Griffith {sggriffith} Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:54:21 CST (5 lines)
LOL on the dentist ;-) No, I blew it. I read something else at the clinic. The solar thermal article is in NYT, so you can read it too: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/business/06solar.html?em&ex=1204952400&en=9a5c87133de08b32&ei=5087%0A
{Nature_and_Environment.96.7}: ... {wren1111} Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:06:38 CDT (HTML)
Does also the production, distribution and preparation of x human energy food calories burn less than x gallons of gas?
There is so much oil embodied in food production and distribution,
that on certain assumptions bicycles have a mpg consumption which is
no better than a car.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.8}: Suzanne Griffith {sggriffith} Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:24:22 CDT (1 line)
We're going to eat less if we have cars?
{Nature_and_Environment.96.9}: ... {wren1111} Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:31:35 CDT (HTML)
Still, I think it's worthwhile considering how much 'embodied fossil fuel' is in each calorie of food we consume.
I've been looking for some data on that and so far this is the best I can find.
Managing the Energy Cost of Food
"http://www.p2pays.org/ref%5C08/07686.pdf"
{Nature_and_Environment.96.10}: Suzanne Griffith {sggriffith} Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:40:12 CDT (8 lines)
That's a pretty good article. I never thought about conserving heat while cooking, but they make a point that food preparation does take energy, and if you use the right size of burner you'll use less of it. Eating local will address the other energy concerns in that publication, like food transportation and storage costs. Of course, to build a good vegetable bed, we had to have concrete blocks and dirt delivered!
{Nature_and_Environment.96.11}: James Files {riverrat} Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:46:06 CDT (2 lines)
We do very little inside cooking in the summertime here. I do most canning and jelly making outside.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.12}: James Files {riverrat} Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:54:44 CDT (13 lines)
Beer from a bottle or aluminum can has about the same environmental costs under current usage. Glass would be better if we reused, rather than recycled, especially if it didn't have to be shipped over long distances (transport weight of glass eats into energy savings). Aluminum can recycling is widespread, more so than glass, and as such makes the use of cans have some advantages. However the mining of bauxite to provide 60% of aluminum in cans (40% is from recycle) is extremely tough on the environment as is the extraction process. "http://www.slate.com/id/2186219?nav=wp" Hands down, a keg is the most efficient way to drink your beer.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.13}: Suzanne Griffith {sggriffith} Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:01:46 CDT (1 line)
Unless you drink 6 a day ;-)
{Nature_and_Environment.96.14}: William Lynn {billcorno} Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:59:37 CDT (15 lines)
Not exactly relevant, I googled "calories per gallon of gas" and got 31,000. It says if a man riding a bicycle could run on gas, he would get 972 mile per gallon. (A 175 lb man uses about 34 calories per mile.) Cars use about 1000 calories per mile (at 30 mpg.) More relevant, since agriculture bases it's production on petroleum, I'd say whe're in a heap of trouble. Especially with gas prices rising and the fight for grain as fuel or food. Time to ramp up the survivalist mentality? Or will technology save the day? William
{Nature_and_Environment.96.15}: Catching a Tornado {redleader} Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:35:52 CDT (3 lines)
This a really innovative idea for renewable energy!! http://vortexengine.ca/index.shtml
{Nature_and_Environment.96.16}: Tonu Aun {tonu} Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:39:30 CDT (21 lines)
Converting raindrops to energy: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/weather/article3600123.ece Okay-- sounds viable, though the first comment after the article makes the point that rain already is used through hydro turbines. Again that sounds reasonable on face.... however that comment is ignoring that the captured energy still allows the water to flow to the turbines with no effect on the hydro capacity. What is captured and converted is the kinetic energy of the raindrops. No making craters in the soil. Do I think this a viable alternative --- not by a mile. The other 'solutions' in the article are creating limited amounts of energy by walking or through fibre energy from clothing. Again possible for some dinky amount. I can tell you how to harness wind energy by fixed lines to trees or the expansion of metal rods fixed at one end --- silly, silly, but they do work. Yes, we will need silver b-bs rather than a one ultimate answer... hunting for either still ignores the real problem.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.17}: James Files {riverrat} Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:59:23 CDT (4 lines)
If one lived in a rainforest or other area with near daily rain, a water powered turbine could be used to power a generator, although an old fashioned water wheel with a nylon water collection chute might well provide more efficient turbine energy for research facilities.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.18}: Tonu Aun {tonu} Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:28:30 CDT (3 lines)
I understand resiliency James :-) The engineers' KISS principle does hold. The more complex we make a system the more likely some minor fault will cause breakdown.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.19}: ... {wren1111} Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:52:42 CDT (4 lines)
Jatropha's Promise: A Perennial Crop That Fights Deserts and Grows Fuel "http://www.ecoworld.com/home/articles2.cfm?tid=463"
{Nature_and_Environment.96.20}: ... {wren1111} Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:41:47 CDT (6 lines)
<b>Gut Reactions</b> "http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200809/termites" The termites stomach, of all things, has become the focus of large- scale scientific investigations. Could the same properties that make the termite such a costly pest help us solve global warming?
{Nature_and_Environment.96.21}: James Files {riverrat} Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:17:50 CDT (7 lines)
good link. Interesting little sidenote in that article about them collecting cow patties from a TX farmer and making him sign off on the intellectual rights to any discoveries. A reminder that no matter what the science comes up with, someone is gonna get rich and the consumer will still get screwed, in spite of the fact that his taxes paid for much of the basic research.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.22}: Chris {cjl} Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:01:22 CDT (1 line)
So I can just post here, easy as that?
{Nature_and_Environment.96.23}: James Files {riverrat} Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:11:44 CDT (1 line)
Yes indeed, welcome aboard.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.24}: swellyn {swellyn} Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:22:59 CDT (HTML)
{Nature_and_Environment.96.25}: James Files {riverrat} Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:20:41 CDT (19 lines)
Chris Depending on what you like, we most likely have it at the cafe. That also means we probably have a lot of what you don't like. If you are looking to get to know folks in a supporting friendly environment Coffeehouse or Nook may be your cup of tea. If you want to talk (or even argue) politics, Politics is the place for you. If you want to argue about politics in almost no holds barred environment, Currents is good. Both of those places, as well as the Science forum talk about environmental issues as well. If you want to weigh in on an issue, feel free to do so. If you want to include info from another site, quote a few lines and include the link in quotes as in "newcafe.org". The quotes are necessary to keep long links together if they exceed one line. If you like to hear people bitch and moan, we even have places for that. Feel free to email me (or most other folks here) by clicking on our nickname if you need any other info.
{Nature_and_Environment.96.26}: Dave Allen {raddad} Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:25:32 CDT (6 lines)
regarding posts:4-6 solar thermal is happening here in the valley of the sun. Well, southwest of here, Mesa-Phoenix anyway... http://www.solanasolar.com/default.cfm Looking forward to seeing more activity in this forum!
{Nature_and_Environment.96.27}: ... {wren1111} Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:09:41 CDT (HTML)
Out West, a Legal Victory for Rainwater Harvesting
"http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/out-west-a-legal-victory-for-
rainwater-harvesting/"
{Nature_and_Environment.96.28}: Tonu Aun {tonu} Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:41:47 CDT (11 lines)
Wren --- I'm 'mostly' in favour of harvesting rainwater but that article hasn't considered some consequences. Self sufficiency collection isn't automatically the correct solution and long term beneficial. Depends on how that water gets used but quite a lot can exit the system through evapotranspiration. Water rights in the west are truly complex ... historically established grants based on a far smaller population and their needs. The more senior the right the less effect of many collecting roof runoff --- the less senior the established rights the more impact. Robbing Peter to pay Paul doesn't mean sustainability --- just some political choice of who gets entitled to limited water.
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