Perpetual Innovation

Author: SustainMe

  • A frosty G20 puts global warming on ice – Comment – Voices – The Independent

    A frosty G20 puts global warming on ice – Comment – Voices – The Independent:

    Great article. Like many such meetings, the major part of the the G20 meeting gets diverted to North Korea or Egypt or Syria. Too bad, there’s a lot the the G20 can do, besides putter with the politics that’s taken over the news today.

    Surprisingly, there was movement on making progress on the very best places to push hard related to our impact on the environment, greenhouse gases (GHGs) and global warming.

    Most people who don’t focus on sustainability don’t realize what a wicked impact hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) have on the (atmosphere) environment. Most HFCs are released into the atmosphere from Freon, the gas that has an ugly impact on the Ozone layer in the atmosphere. But the other problem with florine-based gasses is that they last in the atmosphere for centuries, not decades. Look at the global warming potential of various gases here: GWP at INTCCC and wikipedia GHGs.

    So continuing to use Freon is a gift for the future that keeps on giving, and giving, and giving.

    The approach to CFCs is one of the great success stories of our time. Starting with the Montreal Protocol in 1987 the international community has banded together to address and reduce CFCs. Most countries, that is. Progress has been especially strong because of the progress in alternative refrigerants that are still cheap and efficient. Not so much so, the progress in other greenhouse gases.

    As you can see, the GHGs of carbon dioxide and the noxious oxides are increasing in the atmosphere unabated. Methane seems to be slowing down a little. Remember that these increased levels are above and beyond the levels that the atmosphere has become accustom to. Longer duration graphs are equally as telling.

    But as you can see, CFC emissions have plateaued, but not necessarily reduced. The problem is that several countries, apparently, have not bothered to make the leap to replacement FREON  refrigerants, namely India and Brazil. One of the best, easiest, cheapest and greatest-impact methods to address GHG issues is to pressure those rogue countries to join the rest of the world on HFC reduction.

    Turns out the G20 meeting, lead by China and USA, are looking to “encourage” these rogue countries to pick up the pace on HFCs.

    Making progress on the most important things first, is a great approach to sustainability. HFCs is a great place to push. Even the G20, and the UN that don’t agree on much, have taking this approach.

    EE is probably the greatest place to focus, however. Energy efficiency (EE) and similar types of inefficiencies are the great untapped places to save money, energy and the environment. Everybody wins, except, maybe the power companies. But that’s the focus of other books and blog posts.

    ‘via Blog this’

  • The Wonk Gap – NYTimes.com — its the lie not the truth that is telling.

    The Wonk Gap – NYTimes.com:

    Rotary International has a 4-Way test that starts with “Is it the truth?” In all we say and do …

    If the facts that are presented are not truthful, then whatever follows in the arguments are bogus. Who benefits and why can not meaningfully be determined.

    Stated differently, often (usually?) based on a careful organization of the facts, the best decisions are self-evident.

    So what does Dr. Paul have to say about outright denial and miss information on the right? He points out the healthcare costs have actually been tame in recent years. Current estimates of the future costs/savings are actually better the GAO had originally estimated. Until recently, healthcare costs had been increasing at about 10% per year over the last 30 some years. All evidence is that these costs are much tamer, just over inflation, for the last few years. And that is prior to Obama care really kicking in.

    I know! I’m surprised too, because Obama care doesn’t do nearly enough to address out-of-control healthcare costs as I would like to see. But shifting people out of the emergency room as the primary care, has got to save tons of money.

    Klugman points out how obvious and untruthful some of the information is that continues to be propagated. At least on PBS, you will find a serious analysis of the issues and usually a fare representation of both sides.

    Why would anyone anywhere continue to accept consistent untruths and even blatant lies?

    I like to hear what I want to hear. But I need to hear what I don’t want to hear. As long as it is factual.

    Counter factual is, will, counterproductive, to say the least.

    Good article Dr Paul. It is too bad that the right people won’t read it. And the people who do read it, probably won’t apply the concept of truth-in-information-sources to their own media noise.

    We all need to unfriend sources who promote bogus information, and let them talk to empty space. Only then will we have meaningful solutions to replace meaningless bickering.

    ‘via Blog this’

  • Smaller cities get startup-style sustainability incubator | GreenBiz.com

    Smaller cities get startup-style sustainability incubator | GreenBiz.com:

    Sustainable Green Incubators sounds very cool.  (July 23, 2013 article).

    There area all kinds of cool things that can be done — especially energy efficiency-wise — that will have huge saving (and great environmental reductions as well). !:-)

    Here’s the incoming incubators (or accelerators).
    The inaugural 2013-14 accelerator class includes these cities:

    • Waco, Texas
    • Wichita, Kan.
    • Portland, Maine
    • Louisville, Ky.
    • Tucson, Ariz.
    • Sacramento Council of Governments and member cities Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova, Calif.

  • Ceres Monthly Newsletter – Flaring of Gas/NatGas

    Ceres Monthly Newsletter:
    Ceres Monthly Newsletter – Flaring of Gas/NatGas
    This report starts to document the amount of gas (nat gas) that is flared in the production of oil/gas.

    In the US we can’t get the nat gas to market, so it is imply flared in many cases. The oil (wet particulates) are much more valuable so that is shipped by pipe if possible, but by truck or train if not.

    One statement from a CEO in the oil patch has commented that half of the nat gas produces in the US is being flared. Safety, of course is critical. But this is a humongous waste of energy and environmental waste as well.

    Check out the article and then look at the report here: http://www.ceres.org/resources/reports/flaring-up-north-dakota-natural-gas-flaring-more-than-doubles-in-two-years/view

    Basic economics is one approach to this issue. If NatGas were more valuable, then there would be very little flaring. Right now it is about $3.50 (per … unit) in the USA. So Nat gas is a byproduct of the production of oil unless it can be readily distributed to market (pipeline).  But for the world markets, NatGas is very valuable, let’s say $10. If we can bridge the gap from domestic only to world, then the price would jump and the flaring would, well, burn out. 🙂

    The key is liquefied natural gas (LNG). Not coincidentally, LNG is the trading symbol of Chaniere Energy, one the the leading players in infrastructure for exporting LNG.

    ‘via Blog this’

  • Rising levels of acids in seas may endanger marine life, says study | Environment | The Guardian

    Rising levels of acids in seas may endanger marine life, says study | Environment | The Guardian

    Ouch!

    This has been a growing concern. The rapid increases in the CO2 levels — blasting past 400ppm as we speak — that has several scary consequences.

    First, there’s the greenhouse gas (GHG) thing and the rising temperatures of the air and land.

    Second, the excess CO2, at least some of it, is absorbed into the oceans. This increases the acidity of the oceans. Higher acid levels could wipe out shell fish, coral reefs and other things/animals that are critical for the health of the oceans (and of the planet).

    Here’s what the article and the scientists said:

    Hans Poertner, professor of marine biology at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, and co-author of a new study of the phenomenon, told the Guardian: “The current rate of change is likely to be more than 10 times faster than it has been in any of the evolutionary crises in the earth’s history.”
    Seawater is naturally slightly alkaline, but as oceans absorb CO2 from the air, their pH level falls gradually. Under the rapid escalation of greenhouse gas emissions, ocean acidification is gathering pace and many forms of marine life – especially species that build calcium-based shells – are under threat.

    Ouch!