1. seed
  2. Using Less Electricity

Using Less Electricity

By milhayser on May 6, 2011.

On Casaubon's Book, Sharon Astyk sees a future filled with nuclear power, deepwater drilling, hydrofracking, and mountaintop removal. To hell with the consequences, just give us the juice! But when the oil, gas, and coal are gone, the landscape pulverized, and the depleted cores of uranium piling up in the background, we'll have to change our energy habits the hard way. Sharon says if we want to start stopping now, we must create a new narrative. She writes, "You can endure anything—as long as it is part of a story of heroism and transformation." On Confessions of a Science Librarian, John DuPuis shares a new book about infrastructure by Scott Huler, explaining "the current troubles in Japan are only more indicative of the need to pay attention to the threads that keep our society running." And on The USA Science and Engineering Festival Blog, Joanna Pool profiles researcher Angela Belcher, who "is focused on developing tougher and more effective materials and devices for clean energy, electronics, the environment and medicine." Green technology could be a helpful substitute, but in the long run, only sacrifice will preserve the planet.

Tags
Energy Dependence

More like this

From Viral Electric Car Batteries to Creating More Durable Everyday Materials
If researcher Angela Belcher has her way, electric cars of the future will be equipped with lightweight, inexpensive batteries that can store enough electricity to make driving such vehicles even more practical. Also on her laboratory "to do" list: developing tougher electronic material so that…
On Baby Harp Seals, Coal Plants and Nuclear Power
One of the things I've been arguing for years is that most people in the developed world, given a perceived lack of alternatives and no narrative to explain change and sacrifice, will do almost anything to keep their present way of life. I point out that if they become cold enough most people…
Reading Diary: On the Grid by Scott Huler
In his incredibly wonderful new book, On the Grid: A Plot of Land, An Average Neighborhood, and the Systems that Make Our World Work, Scott Huler gives us three essential take-aways: Thank God for engineers Get out your wallet Let's learn to love our infrastructure. (p. 217-225)In fact, not much…
Half-Life
Time goes on and turns our attention, but radioactive isotopes take a long time to decay. On Greg Laden's Blog, Analiese Miller and Greg update us on the nuclear crisis in Japan. Although the dangers faced at the Fukushima power plant have diminished, the long term consequences have just begun.…

Humans should find another source of energy to keep the earth as it is. I prefer living in mountain areas where you protect yourself only from wild animals,.