Get Energy Smart! NOW!

Electrification of transportation — whether elevators, electric bikes, electric rail, or electric vehicles (HEVs, PHEVs, EVs) for the road (cars, trucks, busses) — represent a key transformational tool toward a clean-energy economy. And, they offer serious economic benefits from reduced oil consumption to potential export opportunities. The Obama Administration’s use of stimulus funds in the […]

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Words and framing matter. When we consider the situation in the Gulf of Mexico, with the disastrous gushing of oil due to the (seemingly) criminal negligence of BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling, moving forward to ending the flow of oil into the Gulf would be a significant move forward and something that we want to happen. […]

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Where will you be on the 10th minute of the 10th hour of the 10th day of the 10th month of the 10th year? On 10 October 2010 (10/10/10), mobilized due to the energy of the 350.org team, people around the world will gather to show their support for climate action by leaders, nation, and […]

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We must have cheap energy! This is a mantra from the right, from blinder-wearing economists, from fossil-foolish interests. In their calculation of price, however, those chanting the ‘CHEAP’ mantra don’t care to account for ‘externalities’ like worsening Americans’ health, destroying our environment, sabotaging our economy, and threatening our future. And, well, they simply aren’t ready […]

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Amid our financial (economic) travails and a seemingly snail’s pace movement toward a clean-energy future, there have been reassuring bright lights.  One of these has been the emergence and spreading of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs.  (White House PACE policy framework (pdf) Building on experiences such as in Berkeley, California, PACE provides a path […]

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In reacting to the Federal judge’s ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional, Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values Coalition, stated: We can’t allow the lowest common denominator states, like Massachusetts, to set standards for the country. While least/lowest common denominator is a mathematical term, in a social context it […]

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The roof, that is … Just got off the phone with my better 95+% … Dominion Virginia Power staff are at my home, right now, upgrading the meter to be able to handle net metering.  Fingers crossed … with tomorrow’s dawn, my roof will be part of the power generation system covering over 90 percent […]

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This guest post comes from Jim O’Donnell who, in real life, has explored the taiga and provides consultant services on permaculture and greening the urban environment.  The idea of greenign the urban environment via paths that contribute to shifting our agriculture to a more sustainable path is one that is quite appealing. Whether Edible Estates‘ […]

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Sometimes you just have to wonder …. An acquaintance captured the screen shot above as to the combination of web security (question being asked: human or computer?) and advertising. Considering the influence of petro-dollars (and other fossil-foolish interests) on the US political system, this is an incredibly apt message combination. NOTE:  Advertisement on the right […]

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Perhaps it is simply human nature or perhaps driven by the skewed nature of early 21st century capitalism or perhaps simply an oddity of American society, but there is a fundamental societal challenge that undermines our ability to pursue sensible policy objectives: the often huge hurdles to investing just a little bit today to avoid […]

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