Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Education Overload!
Here are some tips on staying educated in this rapidly changing energy efficiency industry.
India On Board
India is getting ready for the leap.
"Michael Spence, a Stanford professor and chairman of the World Bank-backed Commission on Growth and Development, has warned India and others that “go-it-alone” strategies are not enough. He is an advocate of a cross-border trading mechanism that encourages technology transfer and provides greater incentives to reduce carbon emissions over time for developing countries."
"Some local economists say India’s vulnerability to climate change with a population highly dependent on the agrarian economy and water systems fed by Himalayan glaciers and monsoon rains means it has to take the lead in the global debate."
"Michael Spence, a Stanford professor and chairman of the World Bank-backed Commission on Growth and Development, has warned India and others that “go-it-alone” strategies are not enough. He is an advocate of a cross-border trading mechanism that encourages technology transfer and provides greater incentives to reduce carbon emissions over time for developing countries."
"Some local economists say India’s vulnerability to climate change with a population highly dependent on the agrarian economy and water systems fed by Himalayan glaciers and monsoon rains means it has to take the lead in the global debate."
Monday, October 5, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Limits to Growth
Article concerning the book, Limits to Growth, published in 1972.
"The authors estimate that we currently allow 9.5 million tons of phosphorus to flow annually into our oceans, mostly because of fertilizer use, and that past 11 million tons we may well trigger “large-scale ocean anoxic events.” Ozone concentrations in the atmosphere — 290 Dobson units before the Industrial Revolution and 283 at present — can’t dip below 276 without catastrophe, the authors note."
"We’re removing almost four times as much nitrogen from the atmosphere for human use as is safe, and the result are things like wide-scale water pollution and the addition of heat-trapping gases like nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. The species extinction rate, the authors argue, is probably 10 times the tolerable level of 10 species per million species per year, though they add that they’re less certain of this than other numbers. “However, we can say with some confidence that Earth cannot sustain the current rate of loss without significant erosion of ecosystem resilience.”
"The authors estimate that we currently allow 9.5 million tons of phosphorus to flow annually into our oceans, mostly because of fertilizer use, and that past 11 million tons we may well trigger “large-scale ocean anoxic events.” Ozone concentrations in the atmosphere — 290 Dobson units before the Industrial Revolution and 283 at present — can’t dip below 276 without catastrophe, the authors note."
"We’re removing almost four times as much nitrogen from the atmosphere for human use as is safe, and the result are things like wide-scale water pollution and the addition of heat-trapping gases like nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. The species extinction rate, the authors argue, is probably 10 times the tolerable level of 10 species per million species per year, though they add that they’re less certain of this than other numbers. “However, we can say with some confidence that Earth cannot sustain the current rate of loss without significant erosion of ecosystem resilience.”
French Eco-Loans
France is really becoming an EU market for energy efficiency.
"To encourage homeowners to make energy efficiency improvements on their homes, France introduced a 10-year, zero-rate eco-loan in 2009, making it possible to finance up to €30,000 of energy renovation work for private housing. In addition, a sustainable development tax credit allows people to deduct from their tax bill between 15% and 50% of their spending on equipment and materials to improve energy efficiency in their main home."
"To encourage homeowners to make energy efficiency improvements on their homes, France introduced a 10-year, zero-rate eco-loan in 2009, making it possible to finance up to €30,000 of energy renovation work for private housing. In addition, a sustainable development tax credit allows people to deduct from their tax bill between 15% and 50% of their spending on equipment and materials to improve energy efficiency in their main home."
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