Posts Tagged by take a cool guess
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy. Today’s Topic: Environmental Toxins
| April 12, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Sustainability |
Question: How is it possible for the concentration of certain toxins to increase in our groundwater for several decades after those chemicals have been banned? For example, the concentration of soil disinfectant DCP (used heavily in the 1970s and finally banned in 1990) will peak about 2020, and will remain in significant quantities until about 2050.
Answer: Can be found at http://2greenenergy.com/cool-guess-answers/8732.
Relevance: Most of the effects of the actions we take today – good or bad — have repercussions for extremely long periods of time. This reminds us of what Thomas Jefferson famously said, “It is incumbent upon every generation to pay its own debts as it goes.” Not to moralize, but I think he nailed something there.
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy. Today’s Topic: Environmental Regulation
| April 10, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Sustainability |
Question: Are there cases in human history in which changes made in environmental regulation have made a dramatic and measurable positive difference?
Answer: Can be found at http://2greenenergy.com/cool-guess-answers/8732.
Relevance: Perhaps too many believe that man’s continuing assault against the natural environment is a given, and that attempts to correct this are hopeless. That’s certainly not the case.
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy. Today’s Topic: Industrial Chemicals
| April 9, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Sustainability |
Question: How many industrial chemicals are in use right now?
Answer: Can be found at http://2greenenergy.com/cool-guess-answers/8732.
Relevance: Every day, we introduce 3 – 5 new chemicals, less than 1% of which are tested for toxicity.
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy. Today’s Topic: Rainforest Destruction
| January 26, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Sustainability |
Question: At what rate are we losing the world’s rainforests?
Answer: Can be found at http://2greenenergy.com/cool-guess-answers/8732.
Relevance: According to rain-tree.com:
If nothing is done to curb this trend, the entire Amazon could well be gone within fifty years. Massive deforestation brings with it many ugly consequences-air and water pollution, soil erosion, malaria epidemics, the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the eviction and decimation of indigenous Indian tribes, and the loss of biodiversity through extinction of plants and animals. Fewer rainforests mean less rain, less oxygen for us to breathe, and an increased threat from global warming.
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy — Today’s Topic: Inexpensive Electricity
| December 9, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Fossil Fuels |
Question: How cheaply can we generate electricity if we don’t care what we do to the planet in the process?
Answer: Can be found at here:
Relevance: A friend told me about his trip to Inner Mongolia (see photo linked below), and said he’d never been happier to get out of anywhere. He explained that because of the density of the coal-fired power plants and other industrial facilities, you couldn’t see a mile in any direction, even on the clearest day.
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy Today’s Topic: Talking Trash
| November 21, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Sustainability |
Question: How much trash does the average American generate daily?
Answer: Can be found HERE.
Relevance: As suggested in this brilliant video, The Story of Stuff, our ultra-consumer society is on a crash course with sustainability.
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy Today’s Topic: Junk Mail and Environmentalism
| November 18, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Sustainability |
Question: Approximately how many trees are ground up each year to make junk mail?
Answer: Can be found here.
Relevance: A big part of the business I ran for almost 30 years was direct mail. Note that I refer to it as “direct” and not “junk,” as we made a huge effort to make this as relevant, personalized, and high-quality as we possibly could. Here are sample campaigns; I hope you’ll agree.
Having said that, I’m not sure I’d want to be in that business now. I think (hope, anyway) that all our communications will come with greater respect for our environment and natural resources.
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy Today’s Topic: Reducing Waste Plastic
| November 17, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Sustainability |
A two-fer!
Questions: How long does it take for some plastic bottles to break down in landfills? How many plastic bags are used worldwide every year?
Answer: Can be found at http://2greenenergy.com/cool-guess-answers/8732.
Relevance: Most plastics are derived from petroleum and do not biodegrade, thus some lasts thousands of times longer than the ingredients they were designed to carry. This clogs our landfills or pollutes our environment in more even egregious ways, e.g., the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Bioplastics innovator, 2GreenEnergy friend, and all-around cool guy Shantu Patel, MD once pointed out a milk plastic carton to me and quipped, “The milk lasted a couple of weeks. How long do you think that bottle will be around?”
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy Today’s Topic: Renewable Energy Conferences
| October 12, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Sustainability |
Question: Since 2005, what has been home to the most important Renewable Energy event in Central America?
Answer: Can be found at http://2greenenergy.com/cool-guess-answers/8732.
Relevance: Many smaller countries, whose activities may be less important to the world economy, routinely make extremely robust contributions to global sustainability — a game in which all players are winners.
Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy Today’s Topic: Biomass
| February 27, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Biomass |
Question: The dozens of flavors of biomass technologies are all rooted in making use of the chemical energy stored in the bonds of complex, organic molecules, which, in some processes, is released to reform biofuels, normally in the form of alcohol. What are the most common forms of these alcohols?
Answer: Can be found at http://2greenenergy.com/cool-guess-answers/8732.
Relevance: A number of 2GreenEnergy clients employ gasification technologies, using various combinations of temperature controls, catalysts, and metered introduction of oxygen to break down the biomass as cleanly as possible. Our favorite? Thermal anaerobic gasification, as represented by our client Resource Recovery Corporation, whose unique and patented process does not form carcinogenic clag as a byproduct.
