Get Energy Smart! NOW!

Blogging for a sustainable energy future.

Get Energy Smart!  NOW! header image 4

Entries from November 2010

Facing a Sputnik moment?

November 29th, 2010 · 3 Comments

Secretary of Energy Steven Chu just finished a speech at the National Press Club entitled: Is the Energy Race our new “Sputnik” moment? Chu outlined ways in which the United States either has already ceded or is ceding leadership when it comes to clean energy — in technology, manufacturing, and deployment. Secretary Chu seeks to […]

[Read more →]

Tags: department of energy · Energy · Secretary of Energy Steven Chu

Plastic state of mind … revisited …

November 27th, 2010 · 2 Comments

PLASTIC Fossil product all your crap’s made of There’s one thing we can do Ban bags made of plastic Thanks to BenZolno … Full Lyrics after the fold along with thoughts re plastic in our lives …

[Read more →]

Tags: Energy

Scientists admit major error in key global temperature data

November 26th, 2010 · 3 Comments

Anthony Watts (Watt’s Up With That) and others have long argued that there are quite serious problems with temperature records, problems that are so serious that they call into question what science is / scientists are telling us is happening in our planetary climate system due to human influence (through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but […]

[Read more →]

Tags: climate change · Global Warming

Giving Thanks for Hopeful Pessimists

November 25th, 2010 · 1 Comment

For a long time, I described myself as a pessimistic optimist (or an optimistic pessimist — just couldn’t remember which …). This changed recently as I learned a critical definitional issue. An optimist is assuming things will work out and it doesn’t necessarily rely on their efforts or necessarily require any special action to end […]

[Read more →]

Tags: catastrophic climate change · climate change

Home energy efficiency: no surprise, very fast paybacks to be expected

November 23rd, 2010 · 1 Comment

Very simply, across the economy, energy efficiency is almost certainly the top investment option — as individuals, businesses, communities, government … The rate of return possibilities are tremendous and unlike gambles to grow business or play the stock market, this is ‘guaranteed’ cash in the bank. And, it is ‘cash in the bank’ in terms […]

[Read more →]

Tags: architecture · business practice · Energy · energy efficiency

Unpublished letters: On cool roofing, Lomborg ain’t so cool

November 22nd, 2010 · 2 Comments

WarrenS has taken on an admirable resolution: to send a letter to the editor (LTE) (or, well, a major politician) every single day, on the critical issues of climate change and energy. This discusses his approach and here is an amusing ‘template’ to for rapid letter writing. Now, I have always written letters and even […]

[Read more →]

Tags: bjorn lomborg · climate change · climate delayers · environmental · Global Warming · Washington Post

The jobs should be blowing in the wind

November 22nd, 2010 · 1 Comment

Trends that go against ‘common wisdom’ are often hard for people to absorb and realize. A journalist’s job, however, should be to question (even challenge) common wisdom rather than simply parroting talking points that are, in fact, misleading if not outright false. When it comes to energy and environmental reporting, sadly, such questioning often seems […]

[Read more →]

Tags: coal · Energy

Zombies Invade The People’s House

November 19th, 2010 · 3 Comments

Sadly, we’re not talking some third-rate B- movie to be released only on DVDs nor is this some Zombie Walk flash mob action. Sadly, its reality.  Come January, Climate Zombies will dominate the majority party in the House of Representatives and have more seats in the most exclusive club on the planet (e.g., the U.S. […]

[Read more →]

Tags: anti-science syndrome · climate change · climate delayers · climate zombies · environmental · Global Warming · global warming deniers · republican party

Seeking Harmony — prosperity and sustainability working together

November 19th, 2010 · Comments Off on Seeking Harmony — prosperity and sustainability working together

This evening, NBC will broadcast Harmony. Harmony could be described, perhaps, as the Prince Charles entry into the documentary film arena, with Prince Charles narrating a discussion both of the global challenges climate change creates and providing thoughtful / meaningful paths to address these challenges to help avert catastrophic climate chaos. For decades, The Prince […]

[Read more →]

Tags: catastrophic climate change · climate change

$100 billion/year: tax cuts for 1% or solutions for all?

November 19th, 2010 · Comments Off on $100 billion/year: tax cuts for 1% or solutions for all?

Yes we can Sadly, no we haven’t. Not that the Obama Administration with the support (and urging) of a Democratic House of Representatives and the drag of a Democratic controlled (???) Senate hadn’t tried to do tremendous things. Note that, for the most part, President Obama has filled the Administration with competent — incredibly competent […]

[Read more →]

Tags: Energy · politics