A really excellent reason to transition to regenerative agriculture/agroecology. Much more resilient! It will take effort, creativity, and work but the outcomes are so much better than not doing it. Worth it on every level! All indicators point to backing away from fossil fuels.
This trend will only continue -renewable energy gets cheaper, fossil fuels gets more expensive. The technology continues to improve and there is a lot more upside potential to it. Combine with walkable neighborhoods/cities for maximum quality of life improvements.
Mexican innovator Adan Ramirez Sanchez has merged tech and nature. These biopanels use microalgae to absorb CO2 and release oxygen while simultaenously generating electricity. It's a decentralized energy solution that literally breathes. Photo of the inventor and drawing of panels.
I continue to be encouraged by creative solutions like this one. Nature offers endless abundance; we can learn so many lessons from her including how to live in harmony with her and with each other.
Burning wood for power worse for climate than gas equivalent, report finds.
While I haven't read the study, burning wood should not be considered a "renewable" energy, imo. The only way it should be burned is gasification/biochar production with biochar used to capture carbon long term. Even then, the design needs to be net benefit on multiple fronts, including ecosystems.
It's probably easier than drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, or fracking in Pennsylvania without poisoning the water. I'm sure you understand that but a lot of people don't necessarily add that context.
The sheer pettiness of what they do, destroying public transit and other useful things for communities, is just unbelievable.
A stable base and some human dignity can be an essential component in recovering from homelessness. This is also a strong factor in handling drug addiction - housing away from the person's dealers. It's just logical.
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Imagine your community owning its own source of electricity. There are various ways this works but the commonality is that it gives renters and people who can't install panels on their homes access to local renewable energy and cuts costs.
Have you ever driven around a city? There are thousands of balconies on apartment buildings and condos. Many more have them than do not, especially newer buildings. Codes address the risk. Germans care about such things too. This allows renters and apt dwellers to get solar access.
If you want to help legalize balcony solar (plug it into your outlet!), this page will help you see where your state is in the process and what you can do about it.
It won't work on every apartment, but if even 10% did it, it would make a difference!
They should consult with Germany to see how they are doing it. If Germany can do it safely, I'm sure Sweden can figure out how to do it safely.
They have a design that apparently works for that; these are being done in NJ and some other Northern states per responses here.
We operate off grid too during hurricanes/outages, on grid otherwise. What do you feel is most complicated?
Thanks, will pass this on.
Fabulous ROI. Hard to argue with! So much false info out there about cost vs benefit of solar. And it keeps getting better, yearly. Storage ROI quickly catching up.
Thank you for your work. I know there are plenty of very unnecessary challenges. You'd think tech would be pushing hard for solar with their rising energy needs, especially with rising fossil fuel prices.
Storage tech is changing quickly, some countries are producing their own storage with salt, sand, water, old oil wells, etc. Same with panels; getting easier to produce domestically.
Create walkable city, remove the asphalt, plant flowers and pollinator meadows below, or create a farmer's market, or popups, etc, etc.
This is a trend that should be legalized in every state and country. Balcony solar allows renters and others who could otherwise not benefit from reduced utility bills to tap into the power of solar. Is it legal in your region? www.thecooldown.com/green-home/v...
We need to bring back morality in business. Profit isn't everything yet it has been made a God at the expense of quality of life or life itself in too many cases. Yes, businesses need profit but they also need a worthy purpose beyond that.
Comes from WaPo originally. energynow.com/2023/02/new-...
Average reactor produces 1 GW, solar pkg in FR can provide up to 11 GW. www.energy.gov/ne/articles/...
Not an expert on nuclear, just passing others' research on.
When you really look at what's going on in some agroforestry systems, it's astonishing how well designed they are. Some oases are many hundreds of year old, producing food that entire time with minimal care. Work with nature, not against her.
You know, getting a close look, I doubt AI would make some of those apples "uglies" (i.e. with blemishes). I think they're all gorgeous, for the record. Thank you!
It's much cooler beneath the panels. Shade significantly cools asphalt. And yes, better for everybody/everything. Even better would be shade trees in some ways, but those aren't possible/practical everywhere, especially desert areas, and they take years or decades to grow.
It's so sad to find out how deeply vested interests have prevented us from pursuing sensible and ethical goals that would vastly improve quality of life and even basic survival potential. We *must* turn that tide!
The Heat Island effect is well known and recognized - and measurable. Just put a thermometer near asphalt, and then under some shade in the same area. Or drop an egg on it and fry it up. :-) heat.gov/urban-heat-i...
Not a bad idea to let the local management know you'd like to see it. If enough of us did that, might speed things along.
We started with a mini solar system that would run our refrigerator, and charge our computer/phone after a hurricane. And added on from there... Any reduction of fossil fuel is better than none! One step in front of the other gets you there.