Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Linkstream
- Clean energy will unfortunately be political
Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama's clean energy strategy, as revealed by ALEC bills and other PR documents. This morning at the World Renewable Energy Forum, in response to a (long winded) question about how we might re-frame the energy discussion in light of the unfortunate hay which was made from Solyndra's failure, US Energy Secretary Stephen Chu re-iterated that clean energy should not be a political issue -- that it's just common sense. That may be true, but it doesn't mean it will remain apolitical. As Pericles once said... "Just because you do not take an interest in - The Dangerous World of Underground Chemistry
A look at the increasingly outsourced world of underground pharma. Domestic black-market chemists handle R&D and distribution, and the actual manufacturing is done in China. Seems that way with everything. - Google Street View for building energy efficiency
Essess is doing drive-by thermal imaging in high density urban areas across the US, hoping to target possible building energy efficiency opportunities. Another company is using urban satellite imagery to choose the best rooftops for solar energy siting. Big Brother may be watching you... but at least occasionally he's got the right idea. - The Neapolitan Mob’s Most Dangerous Family
A character sketch of Paolo di Lauro, one of the Neapolitan Camorra's former leaders. Southern Italy it seems, like some parts of Mexico, operates with more than one quasi-state organization governing in parallel. A tacit negotiation between the official and unofficial systems, which sometimes erupts into violence -- ironically, at those times when the so-called "criminal" organizations have become weak. - Underneath Paris
There's a secret society underneath Paris. Two thousand years worth of tunnels and passageways ready to explore.
- Clean energy will unfortunately be political
Twitterfeed
- At a great talk about individual cities as the right scale for renewable energy systems innovation at #wref2012 2 days ago
- Heard rural Wyoming folk talking local Chinese coal/gas investments, hacking of their SCADA water system. I live in a @GreatDismal future. 3 days ago
- The tar sands have to stay in the ground. Stop the pipeline… again. And again. And again, if necessary. act.350.org/sign/kxl/ 3 months ago
- Roughly 2/3 of all the humans who have ever reached the age of 65 are alive today. 3 months ago
- What I learned about coal industry finances this week: amateurearthling.org/2012/01/13/coa… 4 months ago
Incoming Memes
Author Archives: Zane Selvans
Help put Boulder’s Climate Smart Loan Program back on track
In the summer of 2010, Boulder’s innovative Climate Smart Loan Program screeched to a halt, because the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) decided that the property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing mechanism amounted to a lien on any property enrolled … Continue reading
PACE Lives!
The Federal Housing Finance Administration is taking public comments on Property Assessed Clean Energy financing programs, at the insistence of California’s 9th Circuit court of appeals. Here’s what I told them: Property Assessed Clean Energy financing programs, as have been … Continue reading
Posted in linkstream
Tagged efficiency, energy, fannie mae, fhfa, finance, freddie mac, law, PACE, policy
Leave a comment
OpenPaths
OpenPaths is a mobile application that allows you to log your location in a way that minimally impacts your phone’s battery life, and keeps that information secure (supposedly out of reach of law enforcement w/ zero knowledge encryption) while still … Continue reading
Climate Denial Instruction In Schools
Corporate interests are pushing a model bill in many states that would require schools to teach climate change denial. It sounds creepily reminiscent of the creationism/evolution mess from a few years ago. Except with the fossil fuel industry instead of … Continue reading
Posted in linkstream
Tagged alec, climate, corruption, denial, education, law, school, skeptic
Leave a comment
Vision Prize
Vision Prize is an expert poll on the nature of the climate risks we face, meant to demonstrate the degree of consensus (or the lack thereof) amongst those able to judge the evidence. It’s put together by Carnegie Mellon University. … Continue reading
Open Climate Science Course
The University of Chicago has created an Open Courseware style Climate Science 101, with videos of the lectures and self-assessment materials online. It’s aimed at non-science undergraduates. If you, or someone you know, want to get a little more in … Continue reading
Posted in linkstream
Tagged climate, education, learning, online, open access, school, science, technology
Leave a comment
Think Again: Drugs
A great roundup of the myths surrounding the Drug War, and the cogent arguments against continuing our ridiculous, harmful, and expensive policy of ideological prohibition.
Posted in linkstream
Tagged deviant, drugs, economics, globalization, law, policy, prohibition
2 Comments
Coal Finance for Climate Activists
I’ve been in New York since Monday for a short workshop on the finances of the coal industry and coal burning utilities. It was put together under the auspices of the NYU Law School’s Institute for Policy Integrity. The audience … Continue reading
Open Source Coal
Open Source Coal is a nice database interface to consolidated data from the EIA-923 and EIA-423 forms. Put together by Matt Wassen and others at Appalachian Voices.
Where Christmas Lights Go to Be Re-Born
In Guangdong there’s a small town that specializes in recycling Christmas lights. They chip the lights into mm sized bits, and then use a modified sluicebox (a vibrating inclined water table) to separate the brass and copper from the glass, … Continue reading