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Vampires are among us. When you aren’t looking (or, when you are looking but not seeing), when you are sleeping, when you aren’t paying attention, Vampires are sucking up vital juices, threatening our very existence. Vampire Power: Treehugger TV is one video that, amid all the political videos, merits going viral. A video to educate […]

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We have all become armored against advertising and the claims of “save $26” (or more) on a CFL package are hard to believe. In addition, in our culture, we focus on the cost to buy (CTB) rather than the cost to own (CTO). Thus, in a weird perversion of Benjamin Franklin, we focus on the […]

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Carbon offsets are something that trouble me, with the analogy to medieval indulgences clearly seeming relevant for at least some who embrace them.  On the other hand, Energy’s Three Rs make much sense to me: Reduce energy use (through efficiency and conservation) Use Renewable Power as much as possible Remediate for any remaining polluting energy […]

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Energy has become an ever-more central part of my life – personal, intellectual, and professional. This ranges from working with the Energize America team (and leading revamped EA2020 for 2007 and legislative action), to serving on the Board of The Energy Consensus (a non-profit working to change the discussion of energy in DC), being trained […]

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Austin, Texas, is a leader in the United States on paths toward a more energy smart future.  MSN called it the “Greenest City in America.”  IT has smart growth policies, has a focus on plug-in vehicles, wind power, and … well, many things.   Yearly Kos 1 was in a center of conspicious consumption: Las […]

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Reality deniers are hard at work, with $100s of millions supporting them, arguing that doing something about global warming would be disastrous for the economy. Let us be clear: THIS IS FALSE! Smart climate policy will, even within traditional economic definitions, pay off for the economy. But, in fact, there are a multitude of payoffs […]

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“Those who seek to demonize coal or eliminate its use are, quite honestly, disconnected from reality.”  Dominion Resources CEO Thomas F Farrell, II  What is the reality that we are disconnected from? The 3.5 million tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxide, 10 million tons of sulfur dioxide, 48 tons of mercury, 56 tons of arsenic, 134,000 […]

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Coal is a booming business, with price increases even exceeding those seen for oil. Fossil Fuels and the polluting of the atmosphere are, we can hope, burning their last embers of extravagant enthusiasm. While coal is a booming business, it is also a business under fire, with people like Governor Sibelius standing tall in the […]

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When it comes to the fundamentals of education, there are the “three Rs”:  Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic. Environmentalism’s Three Rs:  Reduce use; Reuse things; Recycle as much as possible. And, for energy, there are these Three Rs: Reduce use (via efficiency and conservation); Renewable power as much as possible; Remediate for any use of non-renewable power […]

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In the United States, traditional hydropower (dams) provides roughly 10% of the electricity.   Traditional hydro plants, in many cases, are century+ old with embedded technology that is far from 21st century in terms of productivity for every gallon that passes by.  Thus, opportunities exist for taking existing hydropower facilities and making them more productive with […]

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