Category: Renewables – Science
What Sherlock Holmes Would Advise About Global Climate Change
| May 22, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Science |
In listening to The Writer’s Almanac this morning, I learned that it’s the birthday of Arthur Conan Doyle, who gave us the character Sherlock Holmes, and thrust the power of deductive reasoning onto the world stage a century ago. Holmes told us, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly, one begins to twist facts to suit theories rather than to twist theories to suit facts.”
I bring this up because it’s so precisely relevant to the discussion of global climate change; this is exactly what the deniers claim, i.e., that the theory is based on a manipulation of facts to suite a theory. Having said that, 97+% of climate scientists don’t see it this way.
Energy Policy Should Be Based on Reason
| May 21, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Science |
Perhaps the greatest single threat facing mankind today is our failure to apply reason to effect solutions. In fact, we appear to openly defy and ridicule the findings of our scientific community, writing them off as so many lairs and frauds. At least here in the United States, a significant segment of our population has bought into the idea that science has conspired to fabricate the notion of global climate change, fudging the figures so as to create the appearance of a problem, in order to generate ongoing funding for additional research. Read More
The Asian Heritage Society: Fostering Interest in Science and Technology
| May 18, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Science |
Frequent commenter Len Novarro is part of a magnificent organization called BOOST (an acronym for Business, Organized global education and Opportunity in Science and Technology). Together with the Asian Heritage Society and Alliant International, the group informs, educates and mentors Asian girls, 12-16, principally in science and technology, in pursuit of careers as entrepreneurs.
I invite readers to check out the great work that Len and his team does – linked above.
Does Our Society Value Its Scientists?
| May 18, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Science |
Rogelio writes:
I think that anybody contemplating a career in clean energy has always to take a look at the engineering and scientific aspects of the field to find a very demanding and yet rewarding career, why because we live in a technical field….There will always be better ways to extract energy from the sun, the wind, earth and the water…. Lawyers, accountants as well as marketers cannot lead the way; they lack the tools and the vision to understand and unleash the forces of nature in our benefit. Cheers, Mate.
Rogelio, thanks very much for this great insight. It reminds me of Read More
Video: The Migration to Renewable Energy
| May 17, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Science |
Here’s another episode of the television show “Our Ventura” in which host George Alger interviews me with respect to the adoption of renewable energy. I tried to answer as many questions as the 15-minute time-slot would allow. How far have we come? How far do we have to go? What are the consequences of success? Failure? What are the imperatives? The challenges? Who are the supporters? The detractors?
I’ll be interested in your feedback.
From Guest Blogger Douglas Santos: Finding Renewable Energy Sources Promotes a Greener Environment
| May 15, 2012 | Posted by AmyWiltbank under Renewables - Science |
Traditional methods of generating energy are giving way to new environmentally-friendly ideas. Instead of stripping the land for coal mining and clearing miles of land for oil fields or natural gas pipelines, the concept of renewable energy is evolving. The term “renewable energy” is an often-used buzzword, but how does using green energy affect animals in their native habitat?
Saying “No” to Fossil Fuels
Global warming is the biggest threat facing the planet today but sustainable energy is a cleaner and safer way to generate needed power. Everyone has seen the sad images of birds living near the ocean with their feathers matted with slick black oil after an oil spill, or thousands of dead fish washed up on the shore because of water pollution. The use of renewable energy from the sun and wind gives animals a second chance at life. Read More
From Guest Blogger Alia Haley: 7 Ways Homeowners Can Power Their Homes with Renewable Energy
| May 15, 2012 | Posted by Alia under Renewables - Science |
You can see lots of attention is focused towards alternative and renewable energy systems. This is due to the soaring energy costs and the need to decrease the climate change effects over earth. Though these solutions may seem complicated for the homeowners in their daily chores, however, the fact is that they are now becoming more accessible to common man. There are number of options available for homeowners which can prove pretty affordable financial investment. Also, by treading these paths, you can benefit from state and federal tax and avail the utility rebates and incentives. The below are the top seven ways which the home owners can heat and power their homes via renewable energy systems.
From Guest Blogger Alia Haley: Power of Clouds and Climate: Mystery in the Environment
| May 12, 2012 | Posted by Alia under Renewables - Science |
Scientists and researchers have been trying hard to find out the power of cloud to harness for everyone’s benefits. They are therefore seen collecting a number of historical data and records to find out how clouds can respond to the earth’s warming. This is critical since clouds are considered to be one the biggest single uncertainty in the attempt to predict the future climate. A few contrarian scientists simply emphasize that cloud will change in such a way that it will basically counterbalance the greenhouse gases released by the mankind. However, a majority or scientists are seen calling global warming a big issue in the coming future. Yet, since past few years, the contrarian scientists or climate skeptics have strong feelings that clouds will save the human race. Read More
Climatologist James Hansen on Global Warming
| May 10, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Science |
My mother came across this article in today’s New York Times by climatologist James Hansen, and sent it to me immediately. “I knew you’d like this one,” she laughed when we spoke on the phone later this afternoon.
“Yes, Mom, I liked it,” I replied. “Pretty much everywhere I go to talk on renewable energy, I manage to weave in at least something that I’ve learned from Dr. Hansen’s talks, and from a few other climatologists I’ve had the honor of interviewing. You probably recall what I told you about the Canadian tar sands, a subject he’s all over; if we go ahead with this, it will mean near-certain catastrophic global warming.”
What amazes me most is that we Americans live in the only major nation on Earth that doesn’t get this. This is the only developed country in the known universe that has a contingent of people who aggressively promote the idea that global warming is a hoax perpetrated by liberals, and that we need to ignore what our scientists are telling us.
Let’s ask ourselves: What’s behind this? Who’s pulling these strings?
Energy Policy’s Difficult Choices
| May 10, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Science |
I recently wrote a post critical of radical environmentalists who take rigid positions and refuse to make the tough choices that confront us all in the real world. In particular, I stand in disagreement with people’s unwillingness to exile the tortoises from 4613 acres (about five square miles) in the California desert that would have been used for a gigawatt of solar photovoltaics, an almost exact replacement for a full coal-fired power plant. Read More
