Posts Tagged ‘Climate Change’
“Together we dig in, for all we’re worth,” so says award-winning author and journalist Barbara Kingsolver in this month’s National Geographic’s special water issue, as she describes how the world’s water crisis does not discriminate between Australian farmers and migratory salmon.
“Fresh Water” takes a poetic and utterly sober look at the world’s diminishing freshwater supply. Even though the amount of water on the earth hasn’t changed since the age of the dinosaurs, variables such as drought, population growth and climate change now threaten our abundance and access to that water.
Kingsolver carries the reader on a journey from damp Appalachia to irrigation-happy Arizona to the Piura Desert, one of the most arid regions on the planet, reminding us that if we have access to ample fresh water today (nevermind indoor plumbing) we are one of the fortunate few.
Did you know that commercial office buildings are one of the main culprits of the current climate crisis? They consume large amounts of electricity and release excessive carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Adura Technologies has developed a mesh-based lighting system that is reducing costs and consumption inside buildings.
The technology consists of wireless radios that plug into florescent light fixtures giving employees more control over their personal lighting space. Adura has also created a dual motion sensing-personal control system that is being used at UC Berkeley, allowing students to break the hard-wired connection and control their lighting from their desktop PCs.
Pretty cool, huh?
via SmartPlanet.com – A Bright Idea for Wasteful Office Lighting
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama will commit the United States to substantial cuts in greenhouse gas pollution over the next decade — despite resistance in Congress over higher costs — when he travels to a major climate conference in Copenhagen next month.
Obama will attend the start of the conference Dec. 9 before heading to Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. He will “put on the table” a U.S. commitment to cut emissions by 17 percent over the next decade, on the way to reducing heat-trapping pollution by 80 percent by mid-century, the White House said.
Cutting U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by one-sixth in just a decade would increase the cost of energy as electric utilities pay for capturing carbon dioxide at coal-burning power plants or switch to more expensive alternatives. The price of gasoline probably would increase, and more fuel-efficient automobiles — or hybrids that run on gasoline and electricity — probably would be more expensive.
On Friday, November 13th, I attended the 3rd Annual Summit for a Sustainable Tennessee, and, man, was it an action-packed day. I learned about everything from protecting our natural resources to smart urban planning to the benefits of rain gardens. I even had the chance to speak with several people about our favorite way to conserve water: Brac Systems.
The summit was all about educating, advocating and collaborating, and it was a great way for people to get organized and speak with one voice. I’ve always believed that the right words can lead to action, and Kathleen Williams, the Executive Director of Tennessee Parks and Greenways, proved it when she gave a short presentation about Tennessee’s abundant natural resources.
Williams asked a room full of people who is willing to commit 30 minutes of their time each week to help keep Tennessee green. Naturally, everyone in the room raised their hands, so Williams upped the ante by saying that she wanted our time right then and there. Go hard or go home, right, Kathleen?
