Clipmarks | deb2012's 'conservation' clips

He asked voters to check his record

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:33:44 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: Energy voting record

Clip Source: www.americanprogressaction.org

McCain Receives "0" on League of Conservation Voters 2007 Scorecard.

McCain Accepted $291,658 from Big Oil in 2007.

McCain Missed Opportunity To End Big Oil Tax Breaks to Invest in Clean Energy.

Gas Tax Holiday Would Hike Oil Prices.

The problem is that lowering gasoline prices at the pump would encourage more consumption. So in the long run, it would push prices up

McCain Is Officially Inducted into the Petroleum Club.

McCain Voted To Drill Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Crucial Showdown.

McCain Opposes Renewable Electricity.

renewable electricity standard would require utilities to generate a certain portion of their electricity from wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy sources. Twenty six states, including Arizona, have such requirements. In 2002 and 2005, there were votes in the Senate to require utilities nationwide to generate 10 percent or 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy resources. Sen. McCain voted against renewable electricity every time.

Tags: energy, alternative energy, politics

Renewable Energy Bill passes House

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:21:10 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: perhaps the 6th time will be the charm?

Clip Source: www.speaker.gov

the House passed the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Tax Act

The legislation includes:

An eight-year extension of the investment tax credit (ITC) for solar energy

2.75 year extensions of the production tax credit (PTC) for energy derived from biomass, geothermal, waves and tides, hydropower, landfill gas and solid waste

A one-year extension of the PTC for energy derived from wind

Incentives for the production of renewable fuels such as biodiesel and renewable

Incentives to encourage energy efficient products, such as plug-in hybrids cars, and incentives for energy conservation in both commercial buildings and residential structures

Perhaps the sixth time will be the charm

This is not a House-Senate dispute. This is about Republicans taking hostage this renewable energy bill. Their approach boils down to this: they absolutely refuse to let us take America forward into a less fossil-fuel dependent economy unless we borrow the money to do it

Tags: energy

Nader on nuclear

Sat, 31 May 2008 11:41:37 GMT

clipped by: deb2012

Clip Source: www.crosswalk.com

Nader said

"If you are for solar energy, you have got to be against nuclear power,"

"There are only so many federal programs available to support different kinds of energy. If nuclear power is absorbing tens of billions of dollars, you are not going to have enough for this fledging solar energy industry."

We waste about 75 percent of our energy," said Nader. "Only about 10 percent of the energy we produce actually leads to work. We know that in every area there are huge opportunities for energy conservation. A gallon of gasoline you don't waste is a gallon of gas you don't have to drill for."

What is left that has to be used can increasingly come at an accelerated rate from various kinds of solar energy, from wind power to solar," said Nader. "We have to replace all fossil fuels in this century and nuclear power with renewable energy and energy efficiency."

Tags: energy

Robert Bryce Addresses America's Oil Addiction

Wed, 21 May 2008 03:04:01 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings

Clip Source: features.csmonitor.com

Thomas Edison altered the course of civilization by helping to pioneer a reliable, affordable, and mass-produced incandescent bulb. But, as author Robert Bryce points out, there was a breakthrough that escaped Edison’s grasp: How to build a hyperefficient, long-lived, electric battery capable of powering homes, industry, and transportation – smoke free.

In his new book, Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of ‘Energy Independence,’ Bryce, a freelance journalist who specializes in the fossil-fuel industry, tosses out a bold idea: Launch a global competition, called “the Superbattery Prize,” that would award $1 billion to the inventor who successfully produces such a battery.

America’s thirst for oil is so insatiable, and society’s infrastructure so inextricably dependent upon oil, that the prudent course from Capitol Hill should be securing as much from the Persian Gulf as possible and aggressively tapping into all known domestic reserves to keep the economy afloat, he says.

Tags: oil, energy, conservation, alternative energy, anwar, nuclear power

How to get cheap gas

Wed, 07 May 2008 16:42:19 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: 3 ideas can make a huge difference

Clip Source: moneyandmarkets.com

The U.S. consumes about 20.6 million barrels of oil per day, or roughly 25% of global demand.

we use A LOT more petroleum than other countries

The good news is that prices for oil and gasoline are made on the margins — if America cuts its oil use by 10% or even 5%, that should send the price lower ... maybe a lot lower.

Lower The Price of Oil

1) Bring Back 55-Mile-Per-Hour Speed Limits

2) Telecommute.

3) Peer Pressure.

If the leaders of the herd (President and Congress) get up and say it's our patriotic duty to do away with fuel economy exemptions for SUVs

it could really help

Simply rolling back the speed limits and doing the other gas-saving tips I talked about cuts our gasoline use by 10%.

And that, my friend, is how you get cheap gas.

Tags: energy, gasoline, conservation

What is "net energy"

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:52:56 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: thoughtful discussion with ideas presented on the peak oil problem

Clip Source: thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com

Net energy or EROEI (energy return on energy invested), for those who haven’t been following these debates, is the energy that can be obtained from a given resource, minus the energy that has to go into providing that resource to users.

Discussions of net energy in the peak oil community have generally tended to focus on production costs, to the neglect of system costs.

In terms of production costs, ethanol made from American corn is a losing proposition. It takes more energy to provide the fertilizers, pesticides, tractor fuel, and other energy inputs to grow the corn, and to ferment and distill it into fuel ethanol, than you get back from burning the ethanol.

If governments in the industrial world want to launch a crash program to do something about soaring energy prices and spiralling energy shortages, then, the obvious choice is the one that worked in the 1970s – conservation

Tags: economy, conservation, energy policy

Spiral Jetty

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:31:06 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: Oil developer threatens this art earthwork

Clip Source: www.treehugger.com

Though the art piece is in the northern part of the lake and remotely-located from any town or road, the plans to drill for oil five miles out by Canadian company Amoco have sparked protest from across the world, prompting the state to postpone the decision for a permit. The deadline for public comment (see here) is extended until February 13.

Tags: conservation, energy, art

zero emission car

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:59:33 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: Ga Tech working on it

Clip Source: www.gatech.edu

ATLANTA (February 11, 2008) —Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a strategy to capture, store and eventually recycle carbon from vehicles to prevent the pollutant from finding its way from a car tailpipe into the atmosphere. Georgia Tech researchers envision a zero emission car, and a transportation system completely free of fossil fuels.

Tags: conservation, energy

beyond water bottles and newspaper

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 23:23:13 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: recyclables--see the whole list at the link

Clip Source: www.gogreencharleston.org

Here are 10 everyday plastic items that are recyclable.

Little Tikes Wagon
This common kids wagon is mostly made from high density polyethylene, which means you can roll it right down to your local recycling center. Cheers to Little Tikes for making products that stay out of the landfill.

Wet Floor Sign
These ubiquitous yellow signs are designed to catch our eye, but I bet every now and again they catch the wrong side of a forklift. In those cases, you can recycle the high density polyethylene remains.

Watering Can
I’m really not surprised this cheap watering can is made from recyclable high density polyethylene, but knowing it doesn’t have to end up in the landfill once I run over it with my car is comforting.

Target Cart
I had just started writing my Surprising Recyclables series when I noticed that the bright orange carts at Target were plastic #2, or high density polyethylene. I wonder if even one has been recycled…

Tags: conservation

A coming slaughter

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:42:20 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: Human convenience vs preserving nature

Clip Source: www.nrdcactionfund.org

The Bush Administration has just issued a new rule that will allow the slaughter of hundreds of gray wolves in Greater Yellowstone and across the Northern Rockies – while they're still on the endangered species list. Both Wyoming and Idaho are planning to use aerial gunning, as well as baiting and trapping, to exterminate wolves.

Tags: conservation