The hunt for alternative fuel sources is on. Gasoline is at a record price, and the economic pressure is forcing almost everyone to take a good, hard look at alternatives. This series of articles is designed at shedding some light on the issue of what alternatives to gasoline are out there, and which ones could eventually break the grip of the dominance of oil.
This is the last post in our renewable energy sources. This time we take a look at Solar energy. Solar energy has long been an intriguing idea for man, seeing as how the Sun is the center of our galaxy, and is a source of immense, and seemingly inexhaustible power.
Today we’re taking a look at yet another renewable energy source, one that surrounds us constantly. That is wind power. Wind power is on the rise in popularity, as evidenced by an announcement by T. Boone Pickens that he was building a 4,000 megawatt wind farm in the heart of oil country in Texas. T. Boone Pickens is a name that’s synonymous with old school energy like Oil, so when he places a huge bet on old fashioned wind power, people tend to listen.
Now we’ve reached Part Three of our series on renewable energy sources. It’s time to take a look at Geothermal energy production.
Geothermal energy is a strong alternative renewable energy source for a number of reasons.
Hydropower is a commonly used renewable energy source. In fact, hydropower is so common that 20% of the electricity in the world and 10% of the electricity in the United States comes from this source. Canada is the largest producer of hydropower in the world and the United States comes in second.
As fossil fuels become more scarce, the spotlight shifts for many people to renewable energy sources. In this article we’ll take a look at the major renewable energy sources, and examine any drawbacks they might have.
There are five renewable energy sources:
Eco friendly fashion is increasing popularity, if you judge based on press releases. Almost all of the major apparel manufacturers are pushing some sort of “eco friendly fashion” because they know the concept appeals to consumers who care about the environment. But what exactly constitutes eco friendly fashion? Let’s take a look at the issue.
Eco friendly fashion is flying off the shelves
Brazil’s new Environment Minister Carlos Minc says that illegal logging in the Amazon is on the rise.
The National Space Institute is expected to release their calculations on how much of the rainforest has been razed on Monday.
Minc said in a recent interview “It will be bad news. It will be data showing an increase in deforestation.”
For the last three years deforestation has been down, but this year a preliminary satellite detected a spike in trees gone missing. In response, several agencies were sent to stop the illegal activities. Environmental agencies and police units shut down dozens of illegal sawmills and seized over 15,000 tons of illegally logged wood.
The Amazon accounts for 1.6 million square miles in Brazil, or roughly 60% of the country. According to reports as much as 20% of this has already been razed.
Even though I’ve never been to Brazil, the change in their landscape is something that should concern everyone. The Amazon Rain Forest is home to thousands of insects, plants, birds and mammals - and even more species of trees. If deforestation continues at a high rate, it won’t be long before all these living things lose their environment and their lives.
Now that is in the hands of Carlos Minc and his people.. Hopefully they’ll be able to make a difference and stop these illegal razings of trees from happening.
Sustainable design is a buzzphrase that’s growing in popularity, so I thought it would be worth an examination of exactly what the term means.
First we need to understand what “sustainable” is. In order for a design to be truly sustainable, the project would need to consume less resources than it produces. In a best case scenario, the “leftovers” that it creates could also be used, perhaps as an energy resource. If the waste is used up, it means there was no “waste” at all, which is a definite sign of sustainable design.
As more and more people are looking to find alternative sources of energy for their cars, used vegetable oil is now being targeted for theft from restaurants around the United States.
Used vegetable can be used as biofuel for diesel cars. The grease is transformed into fuel through a chemical process called transesterification, removing glycerine and adding methanol to the oil, leaving a thinner product that can power a diesel engine.
Businesses that have been set up to pick up this grease are finding that the grease bins are empty or missing.
David Levenson, owner of a grease hauling business said:
“It’s like a war zone going on right now over grease. We’re seeing more and more people stealing grease because it lets them stay away from the pump, but it’s hurting our bottom line.”
The people that steal the grease are believed to be individuals that refine the grease themselves in backyard sills, hurting the businesses that are legally operating.
In order to manufacture biofuel legally producers must register with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and pay taxes for using the road.
In the end, I’m sure that authorities will work to find the thieves stealing the vegetable oil and prosecute them. Is nothing sacred?
Brought to you by: Your Editors
Darren McLaughlin, Heather McLaughlin
Our Green Empire is a blog devoted to eco-friendly solutions for modern living. The environment is our friend, and sustainability is our goal.
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