Posts Tagged enviroment

A pool of water powers the world!

Feb 24

Posted by Billy in Technology | No Comments

MIT Professor Dan Nocera shares his vision for solving the world energy “crisis.” Now, if the world ever stops innovating, we’re screwed anyway. It has always been that way and always will be. Innovation is a key aspect and energy is a current worry of advanced civilizations, ere go innovation in energy makes us happy! Check it out:

Dan Nocera: Personalized Energy from PopTech on Vimeo.

One point I find interesting is the convergence of Professor Nocera’s line of thinking with that of Chris Anderson in his works on “free.” The idea is the decrease in cost and price as volume expands, approaching zero. Regarding energy, the idea is that the more we produce, we increase efficiency and decrease cost leading to more than adequate volumes at dirt cheap prices, powering the world. I dig it and there are plenty of pools too!

Tags: energy, enviroment

The new “green” nuclear power

Dec 23

Posted by Billy in Entrepreneurship/Business, Politics | 1 Comment

A recent article in Wired discussed a “new”ish method of nuclear power utilizing thorium instead of uranium. It appears to be cheaper, safer, more efficient, takes up less space and goes forever. So why can’t we get more buy in? Nuke is nuke I suppose. Lets forget the cap-n-trade crap or quit burning bundles of carbon to get to Copenhagen and develop this stuff! That’s my “global warming” answer. Now only if the government will back off to allow it and hopefully some archaic nuclear utilities will explore it too. One of the big proponents, Kirk Sorensen, runs a blog called “Energy from Thorium“. Check it out, the first “open source project” for nuclear power. The article is excellent and interesting. Check out this comparison sheet from the article of three possible reactors:

Uranium-Fueled Light-Water Reactor

Fuel Uranium fuel rods

Fuel input per gigawatt output 250 tons raw uranium

Annual fuel cost for 1-GW reactor $50-60 million

Coolant Water

Proliferation potential Medium

Footprint 200,000-300,000 square feet, surrounded by a low-density population zone

Seed-and-Blanket Reactor

Fuel Thorium oxide and uranium oxide rods

Fuel input per gigawatt output 4.6 tons raw thorium, 177 tons raw uranium

Annual fuel cost for 1-GW reactor $50-60 million

Coolant Water

Proliferation potential None

Footprint 200,000-300,000 square feet, surrounded by a low-density population zone

Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor

Fuel Thorium and uranium fluoride solution

Fuel input per gigawatt output 1 ton raw thorium

Annual fuel cost for 1-GW reactor $10,000 (estimated)

Coolant Self-regulating

Proliferation potential None

Footprint 2,000-3,000 square feet, with no need for a buffer zone

Well, I’m sold (at least enough to want to explore it further!)

Tags: entrepreneurship, enviroment, regulation

John Stossel: Protocol for Climate Change

Dec 15

Posted by Billy in Economics, Politics | No Comments

John Stossel always levels the playing field a bit. In this clip, he discusses climate change with Jerry Taylor of the Cato Institute. The key point is not an argument over whether it is good to live sustainably but whether the methods paraded by most are worth the paper they are written on! It’s not even an argument over whether your Hummer really hurts the environment, just a look at the realities of the proposed “solutions”. Check it out! under 10 minutes…

Tags: enviroment, interventionism, John Stossel, regulation

Living “small” is cool…

Nov 5

Posted by Billy in Entrepreneurship/Business, Philosophy, Uncategorized | No Comments

This dude is awesome! I couldn’t do it, live in 96 square feet but I respect anyone who can. He’s even an entrepreneur, turning his passion into a niche business. Respect… I found this on 37 Signals’ Blog Signal vs Noise (sweet blog of course). Check out the vid:

Jay Shafer of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company designs and builds small houses ranging from 65 to 837 square feet. He’s spent the last 10 years living in his tiny houses. In this video he gives a tour of a 96 square foot house.

Tags: entrepreneurship, enviroment, innovation, interesting

The Importance of a “manspace”

Oct 29

Posted by Billy in Philosophy | No Comments

A recent TED talk highlighted the interesting idea of the manspace, that is a space typically dedicated as a sort of “getaway” for the man of the household. Sam Martin created his own escape and went on a mini-journey to identify others including some very interesting ones. They’re not all bars, posters, and super-tv’s either.

I have my manspace which includes my large “L” shaped desk, my four-monitor computer (its sweet. Maybe overkill but sweet either way…), book shelves with an ever-growing collection of books, a modest LCD tv on the wall, a corner dedicated to painting (mini-studio) an a comfortable couch. Mine is not nearly as creative as some of these and much more modest. I mean, its still inside my house. I long for some escape mancave out back or a tree house, that’d be sweet. For now, I’m happy with my one room and feel luck for even that. Its the one room I’m aloud a little more creative decision making as the rest of the house is reserved for the Mrs. and that is fine by me… Check out the vid!

Tags: enviroment, space

The Entrepreneur triumphs at delivering safe drinking water to all

Aug 19

Posted by Billy in Entrepreneurship/Business, Ethics | 1 Comment

A recent video on TED.com demonstrated the capability of a free-thinking concerned global citizen. Michael Pritchard developed a water filtration system that can deliver safe drinking water no matter the conditions and due it in an extremely portable and remarkably affordable fashion. He estimates that it would take no more than $20 billion to deliver clean drinking water to the entire world! Now, there are other considerations such as political access to the end user in hostile territory, war lords and all that. But the concept and possibility are phenomenal!

He does mention the amounts spent by governments on foreign aid which I am not as big a fan of. I say we pitch it to Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and other private foundations who are spending this kind of money in the open, charity market. They will act much faster and with much more efficiency instead of turning a $20 billion project into a $100 billion with the added bureaucracy. And the average tax payer need not be squeezed for the money but given the opportunity to openly volunteer in donation to the private charities participating. All in all, I hope Mike makes money hand over fist, enabling him to continue to develop the technology, market the new solution and get the word out. This of course will do wonders for anyone needing clean water when in a bind. Cool stuff!

Tags: charity, entrepreneurship, enviroment

Black Markets, Gray Economy, and inevitable free enterprise.

Aug 11

Posted by Billy in Economics, Entrepreneurship/Business, Politics | No Comments

Stewart Brand recently shared some interesting insights about the “poor” and their efforts to escape poverty. It happens almost entirely outside of the “formal” economy, outside of government regulation, outside of socialistic bureaucracy. This is the only way it can happen as collective regulation does nothing more than prohibit growth and development. Although I don’t agree with much that is shared by your typical environmentalist, as they tend to follow Malthusian thought limitations, I found the initial point in this video interesting as well as a point here and there throughout the video. Take what you will:

Tags: enviroment, free markets, government

Ethanol and bio-green craziness…

Aug 6

Posted by Billy in Economics, Philosophy | No Comments

The world has gone mad for everything “green” when in reality, some things are not as “un-green” as some would like us to think. Sometimes it is better to stick with what works until a truly better alternative shows itself. In reality, the free market tends to reveal not only the most profitable alternatives but the best alternatives as dollars are poured into what works over the long haul. Each gimmick eventually fails leaving the truly effective to move the economy forward, this includes efficiency and “environmentally friendly” options. We are not just looking for options that are “better” on first impression or initial result but better all things considered. Take electric cars, it is said some create a larger “carbon footprint” than typical gasoline vehicles due to electric power sources, efficiency weaknesses, and production measures. They seem dandy since they have no direct emissions but all the coal burned to create the electricity, their low efficiency, and the extreme manufacturing measures tell a different story. This is a generalized example and not aimed at any particular car or solution but you get the idea. The same is true for fuels themselves. bio-fuels and ethanol are the latest craze but are they worth it?
Check it out:

Tags: enviroment, ethanol, Politics

Human Progress is the Only Method of Sustainability

Jul 14

Posted by Billy in Economics, Philosophy | No Comments

I read an article of an interview with the founder of Patagonia (outdoor apparel) stating his case that their is “no such thing as sustainability” and his mission is to work toward it continually. He is a leader in eco-philanthropy and the environmental “crisis.” As such, it appears he feels that their is no way the earth’s resources can sustain life at the current rates of consumption.

I have one major issue with people who take this stand (as it is becoming a common and quite-old position to take). They discount and often disregard altogether the Human Ingenuity factor. Just as the reports of social scientists in the 1960’s claimed the Earth could not support 5 billion people, there are those who continue with similar rhetoric today. These claims may even be true at times BUT must be clarified with “at our current technological state” or something to this regard. What about Oil? When we run out of oil, we are done for… How will we drive? Utilizing some other fuel source of course. We are always bound for calamity and shortage if ingenuity and progression are halted. For this reason, I say these are the only sustainable lifestyles.

I am all for efficiency and conservation of resources. In fact, many times these are part of our progression. A more fuel efficient car is good for the environment as well as my pocket book (fuel costs anyway) and that is a step in the right direction, especially if power or drive-ability is not sacrificed. The environment and economics can work together and should. In fact, economics may be a powerful gauge to proper enviro-investment and societal eco-development. That is if the force and coercion through public policy are not tampering with the effectiveness of such natural gauges.

That is my sustainability, my “eco-philanthropy”, human progress, innovation, and ingenuity…

Tags: Business, enviroment, government