Energy
Biochar: Can it save our climate?
Chances are good that you’ve never heard of biochar, though you may know of it by its common name: charcoal. Burying partially burned wood may enhance the storage of carbon in soils, helping to mitigate climate change. [Read more…] about Biochar: Can it save our climate?
The KeyStone XL pipeline
Soon, the Obama administration will likely make a decision on the KeyStone XL pipeline, proposed to carry crude oil extracted from the oil sands in Alberta, Canada to refineries in the United States. There is huge pressure from oil companies to build the pipeline and increase the production of oil in North America. [Read more…] about The KeyStone XL pipeline
'Turn right' to protect the environment
A few years ago, UPS began planning delivery routes to avoid left turns whenever possible. The idea is to avoid idling while waiting for opposing traffic to pass. [Read more…] about 'Turn right' to protect the environment
Outsourcing our carbon footprint
E-commerce is more and more important to both consumers and businesses. In this year’s second quarter, online sales increased 15 percent while offline sales increased only 2 percent. [Read more…] about Outsourcing our carbon footprint
Energy’s return on investment
When it comes to stock or retirement accounts, most of us are familiar with ‘return on investment.’ It’s a measure that expresses the rate of return per dollar invested, and helps us decide which investments are performing well. [Read more…] about Energy’s return on investment
Coal ash – waste piles we don’t often consider
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Coal is a rock, albeit a soft rock that is mostly made of carbon. When we burn coal, this carbon is released to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. A portion of the remaining materials, composing about 1% of coal, is left behind as ash. [Read more…] about Coal ash – waste piles we don’t often consider
Biodiesel versus ethanol: American-made fuels
Bioethanol is in the gas most of us put in our cars. This renewable fuel comes from corn, potatoes, and other plants, and reduces the harmful emissions associated with petroleum-based fossil fuels. As a reminder, fossil fuels like coal and oil are also derived from plants, but they are not considered renewable because it takes the Earth thousands of years to convert plant material into these energy-rich forms. [Read more…] about Biodiesel versus ethanol: American-made fuels
The Café – it’s not just for coffee anymore
Last month one of the most impressive changes in our nation’s energy policy was put in place when President Obama signed into law the new Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) standards for cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. Cars must average 54.5 miles per gallon by the year 2025. Those who still want a low-mileage vehicle can buy one, but the overall average of the fleet of new vehicles sold must meet the new standards. [Read more…] about The Café – it’s not just for coffee anymore
Exporting our carbon emissions
On the face of things, it sounds like excellent news. The Department of Energy recently reported that in 2011, the amount of carbon dioxide our nation emitted from energy production declined. This was the third time in four years that such a trend was noted. [Read more…] about Exporting our carbon emissions
Trying to clean up dirty oil sands
Our neighbors in Canada are sitting on an enormous energy reserve. The Canadian oil sands, located in Alberta, cover a swath of land the size of England. It is estimated they contain 170 billion barrels of recoverable oil, second only to Saudi Arabia. [Read more…] about Trying to clean up dirty oil sands
The importance of the rare earth elements
Remember the periodic table from high-school chemistry? The elements of life—like carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen—are near the top. Then, along the bottom, is a row of elements the teacher never talked about. These are the rare earth elements—17 of them make up <0.02% of the Earth’s crust. They have names like lanthanum, neodymium, europium, and yttrium. And, until recently, they seemed like bit players. [Read more…] about The importance of the rare earth elements
Cleaning up coal
Coal has been under a lot of fire lately. Environmentalists blame its CO2 emissions for exacerbating climate change. When burned, coal emits mercury into the atmosphere, where it later contaminates lakes and lake fishes. Coal is also a source of noxious air pollutants, like ozone and nitric oxide, which exacerbate asthma and emphysema. [Read more…] about Cleaning up coal
The trash-to-gas concept
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the United States consumes over 367 million gallons of gasoline each day—the majority of which is derived from imported oil. [Read more…] about The trash-to-gas concept
Embedded energy – the energy we don’t see
Today, I want to talk about embedded energy, which is hidden in each product that we purchase. Consider a simple hamburger. Its embedded energy includes the energy needed to produce the cattle that made the burger—including the fertilizer that grew its feed and the irrigation system that kept the cow well-watered. It also includes the energy needed to cook both the burger and its bun. [Read more…] about Embedded energy – the energy we don’t see
Are cloth napkins better?
