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Vegasclimber

Trad climber

Las Vegas, NV.

Mar 11, 2013 - 01:41am PT

Nice thread Philo. I'm so stoked to see what happens with tech over the next 10-15 years. Not only with solar, but also with medical. They are on the verge of so many breakthroughs right now - its really an exciting time.

Gal

Trad climber

a semi lucid consciousness

Mar 11, 2013 - 01:56am PT

thanks Philo, good stuff-seems like there is solutions out there for our problems, if we can just get these ideas implemented...

interesting info, John Hansen... a ban on plastic bags sounds like a great start, and it just forces people to change one little habit (bringing your own bags). In fact, I haven't been perfect on that one, and now I am going to bring my own reusable cloth bags from here on out... packing them in the car as we speak...

cmcc

Trad climber

Redding, CA

Mar 11, 2013 - 02:01am PT

Interesting how the Governor thinks the current tax breaks are fiscally unsustainable. Sounds like it was fun while it lasted. Now the state can figure out how to pay for all those lost revenues. Maybe they can blame the big corporations they are giving the breaks to... If the are still in business. Probably will need to raise taxes. It is all smoke and mirrors!

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20130206_Lawmakers_move_to_modify_solar_energy_tax_credits.html?id=190124261&mobile=true

mouse from merced

Trad climber

The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.

Mar 11, 2013 - 02:26am PT

Did Locker ever answer the phone?

We'll see later, I suppose. It could be so awesome just to be there to find out.

What's the deal with a switch-over, Philo? Oil to diodes, I mean. I foresee War, Plague, Famine, and Disease: the horse's revenge, like. Worst case, though.

I figure about twenty million dead here in the USA (US of Automobiles)before they/you give up their/your death machines that run on dead animals and plants? More? More yet?

One thing, should the government see their/our way clear to implement glass roads, they/we then could put squads of those pesky homeless folks to work-Caltramps--with long-handled squeegees, baby strollers full of old newpapers, and Indian pumps full of Windex.

In a brief O.T. aside to Mr. Hansen (Aloha), can you tell us if on the high peaks above the treeline on the Big Island, are there any rodents living there resembling marmots? I've always wondered about that.

Big Mike

Trad climber

Mar 11, 2013 - 02:46am PT

Solar is old tech too. The newest cutting edge tech is infrared band and it is embedded into stickers which can wirelessly transmit power! Very cool. Still in the labs, but imagine!! Any surface can be turned into a power cell!!

Ken M

Mountain climber

Los Angeles, Ca

Mar 11, 2013 - 03:09am PT

Interesting thread.

I've had a particularly fascinating week or two, in the green arena.

First, a talk by the mayor of LA and former mayor of Toronto. Very interesting perspectives. Because Mayors are closer to the action, they often can do more than Gov's or Presidents. For example:

The US has not signed the Kyoto Protocol on the reduction of greenhouse gases.....but Los Angeles HAS, and has met the standards!

In fact, LA has accomplished some amazing things. It is using the same amount of water as it used 20 years ago, through good practices. It recycles/reuses/composts 75% of the trash stream, from it's baseline.

On friday, I attended an all day conference on "Cool Roofs", something increasing adopted by cities across the country....NYC is a leader in this.

Commercial replacements with cool roofs have a payback of 5 years.
New roofs basically cost little to nothing.
Or the new rage: White roofs. This is not voodoo, it is scientifically proven.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRrXehaDZts

http://whiteroofproject.org/how-we-can-curb-climate-change/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW2hCCdMKMw

wilbeer

Mountain climber

honeoye falls,ny.greeneck alleghenys

Mar 11, 2013 - 09:13am PT

Philo,great post,there are so many better ways ,we will have to get there.

philo

Trad climber

Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?

Mar 11, 2013 - 09:44am PT

That is the point, that there are better ways. Strange that some feel anything new and different should be denigrated in favor of a failed status quo. Fortunately he foolish will follow along with the future.

philo

Trad climber

Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?

Mar 11, 2013 - 10:07am PT

How about being efficient enough to get more from less?

drljefe

climber

El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson

Mar 11, 2013 - 10:10am PT

Algae.

wilbeer

Mountain climber

honeoye falls,ny.greeneck alleghenys

Mar 11, 2013 - 10:11am PT

A Breath of Fresh Air from China.

TwistedCrank

climber

Dingleberry Gulch, Ideeho

Mar 11, 2013 - 11:05am PT

The future is fukkin stupid.

Moof

Big Wall climber

Orygun

Mar 11, 2013 - 01:05pm PT

At least the eco-nuts know how to get the ball rolling.

Sobriety is needed to prevent the ball from rolling in the wrong direction.

Sadly, they squander their excitement and credibility all too often.

I've had them claim we all need to switch to veggie oil powered cars. The technology is here! Break free of big oil! The sentiment is great, their math isn't. Veggie oil works great for the <<1% who can take advantage of the cast off used fryer oil. Beyond that, it does not scale. Once you start farming rapeseed just to burn in a car, it becomes a net environmental negative (more diesel used to farm than biofuel produced). Wasting political capital on dead end ideas that could be shown as such with the vaguest analysis is very counterproductive.

I really like seeing "green" home makeovers where folks rip out perfectly good counter tops and put in "green" concrete ones that can be recycled later. WTF? The obliviousness boggles the mind.

The point is that cheer leading should only be encouraged to a point. Once laws start getting drafted based on enthusiasm of hippies regardless of the actual environmental math, you are likely causing more harm than good.

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Mar 11, 2013 - 01:07pm PT

Moof, well put.

The most ecological thing one can do is to use a condom.

Brandon-

climber

The Granite State.

Mar 11, 2013 - 01:09pm PT

Algae

I'm intrigued by the algae idea. I first read about it in 'From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank'. If you haven't read it, get it.

That said, it seems that algae hasn't hit the productivity level yet to make it a financially viable alternative.

Anyone have knowledge of algae based fuels that they'd care to share?