Earth Sky Stars » Renewable Energy http://earthskystars.net/blog blog for earthskystars Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:35:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Review of “$20 Gallon” http://earthskystars.net/blog/2010/04/20/review-of-20-gallon/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2010/04/20/review-of-20-gallon/#comments Wed, 21 Apr 2010 01:36:33 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=215 Just finished listening to the audio book version of $20 per Gallon. A good listen, with the theme of what life would be with gasoline prices at different amounts. The author starts at $4 per gallon and works his way up from that price. The book strikes a hopeful note that life will actually become better as the rising price of petroleum forces us to stop using fossil fuels.

The indexing of the lifestyle changes to the price of gasoline was a nice touch. It’s something everyone can relate to. Here’s a link to the book’s site:
20$ per Gallon

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2010/04/20/review-of-20-gallon/feed/ 0 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference — it’s time to act! http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/10/13/copenhagen-climate-change-conference-its-time-to-act/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/10/13/copenhagen-climate-change-conference-its-time-to-act/#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:19:11 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=189 Climate change is real science. We’ve studied it to death under the Bush administration and it’s time to act. Even Bush appointees on IPCC agreed that climate change poses a real threat to our world. Climate change will cause mass extinctions, famine, severe weather changes, and possibility even war. Want to see Indian and China duke it out over water rights? Not a pretty picture since both countries have nukes, but it could happen if the glaciers in the Himalayas melts.

A recent CNN article pointed out this very real possibility.

Put pressure on the politicians to craft a real, workable climate change agreement at the Copenhagen Conference. Go to Blog Action Day 2009 and add your voice!

More info:
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Copenhagen Climate Change Conference
NASA Global Climate Change Site

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/10/13/copenhagen-climate-change-conference-its-time-to-act/feed/ 0 Ikea introduces solar-powered lighting … http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/10/ikea-solar-lighting/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/10/ikea-solar-lighting/#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:02:42 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/10/ikea-solar-lighting/ CleanTechnica.com posted an article on Ikea’s new line of solar lighting. The Swedish furniture superstore is a leader in green furnishings and lighting and it looks like they have no intention of losing that lead. The lights range from $6.99 to $19.99 in price. Here’s a link to the $19.99 worklight.

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/10/ikea-solar-lighting/feed/ 0 EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson at Power Shift 2009 … http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/01/epa-administrator-lisa-jackson-at-power-shift-2009/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/01/epa-administrator-lisa-jackson-at-power-shift-2009/#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:06:57 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=148 This is cool! EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson at Power Shift 2009 telling the kids to get involved and rock our government. Way to go Boss (I work for the US EPA)! It’s about time we tell the kids to get involved.

No matter what happens now, they will be dealing with some degree of climate change in their future!

Here’s Lisa’s talk on You Tube.

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/01/epa-administrator-lisa-jackson-at-power-shift-2009/feed/ 0 Earth Hour 2009 http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/02/22/earth-hour-2009/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/02/22/earth-hour-2009/#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:56:51 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=135 Last year (2008) Earth Hour went global. This year Earth Hour 2009 is even larger, with more cities and more countries. The premise is simple — turn out your lights, your TV, and any other appliances for 60 minutes as a symbol of your commitment to control climate change. Yes, it is a simple step of symbolism, but at least it is a step to control a problem that every nation on earth will soon face. On March 28th lets all turn out the lights!

Logo for Earth Hour 2009

Logo for Earth Hour 2009

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/02/22/earth-hour-2009/feed/ 0 Google enters the smart grid arena http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/02/16/google-enters-the-smart-grid-arena/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/02/16/google-enters-the-smart-grid-arena/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:19:33 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=128 Google previewed its new smart grid technology last week, PowerMeter. What’s the advantage of a smart power grid? The big advantage of a intelligent power grid is more efficient utilization of available power. For example, under heavy power loads a smart grid could request smart grid enabled appliances to go to a lower power state, saving the consumer money and keeping the power grid safe. It can also highlight inefficient appliances for the consumer.

Here’s two links about the PowerMeter technology:

The Google PowerMeter site
Green Wombat post on Google PowerMeter

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/02/16/google-enters-the-smart-grid-arena/feed/ 0 Have kids, want to save power? Try this … http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/02/08/have-kids-want-to-save-power-try-this/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/02/08/have-kids-want-to-save-power-try-this/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:18:02 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=118 One annoying thing about kids is getting them to turn lights off. Sure with CFL or LED lighting it’s not that bad, but every little bit helps. So why not have the lights turn themselves off? Try one of these timer switches from Intermatic:

Intermatic electronic wall timers

One thing about electronic timers — make sure they work with CFLs, some don’t.

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/02/08/have-kids-want-to-save-power-try-this/feed/ 0 Not the Shrub’s energy and environment plan … http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/25/not-the-shrubs-energy-and-environment-plan/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/25/not-the-shrubs-energy-and-environment-plan/#comments Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:20:30 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=113 What difference a change in administration makes! President Obama’s energy and environment plan is a quantum leap from President Bush’s lack of a plan!

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/25/not-the-shrubs-energy-and-environment-plan/feed/ 0 Another great NOVA program, The Big Energy Gamble http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/25/another-great-nova-program-the-big-energy-gamble/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/25/another-great-nova-program-the-big-energy-gamble/#comments Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:14:10 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=111 Always informative and factual, the PBS series NOVA, highlights the aggressive green energy plan of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. California has the 6th largest economy in the world (yes, the state by itself!) and critically needs sources of clean, reliable power, therefore the Governor has embarked on an aggressive plan to greatly expand renewable power in the state’s energy mix. Could this be the model for President Obama’s energy plan? I certainly hope so and with even more aggressive measures!

Check out clips from Dr. Steven Chu, formerly of Lawrence Livermore Labs, now the US Energy Secretary and a friendly “green” competition between Ed Begley (St. Elsewhere) and Bill Nye (“Bill Nye the Science Guy®”). You can link to the program at “The Big Energy Gamble” on the PBS website.

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/25/another-great-nova-program-the-big-energy-gamble/feed/ 0 Solar array is cleared for use http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/24/solar-array-is-cleared-for-use/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/24/solar-array-is-cleared-for-use/#comments Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:04:08 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=109 The W L&I inspector cleared the solar array for use on Thursday. Amazingly, she asked my wife why no one called her to inspect the changes last Friday! The Brother’s Electric folks called her several times on that Friday and where here most of the day. Obviously the Washington Labor & Industries division of the state government can’t even afford to charge their cell phones!

The next step is to get the production meter from Puget Sound Energy installed. That could take up to another week or so, but usually less. Once the meter is plugged in the Clugston household will be producing power :-)

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