Category Archives: penetrating ideas

Federal Tax Credits For Windows And Doors – I see the light

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Now we enter the marvelous world of windows and doors. As someone who has been in the building trades most of my life I prefer that people live in CAVES. That is right. I have been opposed to windows and all but rudimentary doors for most of my life. There are exceptions. For instance, if you live in a rammed earth house or if the window is part of the heating and cooling system. My attitude is if you want to look outside…GO outside. Not only that but it gets rid of all of those pesky “window treatments”. I am also a MAN and I lose these arguments all the time mostly to gay interior decorators.

 http://www.customwindowdecorators.com/drapes.html

OH sorry I mean with women.

http://www.lnt.com/category/452/1/window.html

But if you must put windows in at least have them have an impact on the world and on your taxes too:

 http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#c1

Windows & Doors Exterior Windows and Skylights

*Important Change:

Before June 1, 2009:
Must meet ENERGY STAR criteria

After June 1, 2009:
U factor <= 0.30

SHGC <= 0.30

 30% of cost, up to $1,5002 Not all ENERGY STAR labeled windows and skylights qualify for tax credit.More information
Storm Windows Meets IECC1 in combination with the exterior window over which it is installed, for the applicable climate zone 30% of cost, up to $1,5002 View our FAQ on storm doors and storm windows.
Exterior Doors

*Important Change:

Before June 1, 2009:
Must meet ENERGY STAR criteria

After June 1, 2009:
U factor <= 0.30

SHGC <= 0.30

 30% of cost, up to $1,5002 Not all ENERGY STAR doors will qualify.More information
Storm Doors In combination with a wood door assigned a default U-factor by the IECC1, and does not exceed the default U-factor requirement assigned to such combination by the IECC 30% of cost, up to $1,5002 View our FAQ on storm doors and storm windows.

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http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=windows_doors.pr_windows

Home > Products > Windows, Doors, and Skylights

 

Residential Windows, Doors, and Skylights for Consumers

(Are you a partner? For Partners)

Want more from your windows? Ask for ENERGY STAR.
ENERGY STAR-qualified windows, doors, and skylights save you energy and money, increase the comfort of your home, and protect your valuable possessions from sun damage. They are also better for the environment because lowering your energy use means less air pollution from power plants.

Window with ENERGY STAR label

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Windows like these:

http://info.championwindow.com/championw/unique/114318.php?keyword=WINDOWS%20TAX%20CREDIT&gclid=CP_2-6OW7JoCFSQMDQodhQ9tCA

 

The typical U.S. family spends over $1,600 a year on utility bills
All Champion windows feature our exclusive, insulated Comfort 365® Glass, which sets the industry standard…Just some of the benefits of Champion vinyl replacement windows:
  • Comfort 365® Glass keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter
  • Blocks harmful UV rays and reduces fading of carpets and furniture
  • Custom designed and manufactured in our factory specifically for your home
  • Available in a full line of customized colors
  • Exceed ENERGY STAR® standards in all 50 states
  • Earned the Good Housekeeping Seal
  • Covered by a Lifetime Transferable Warranty

Improve your home’s look and overall energy efficiency; contact a Champion representative today to schedule your FREE in-home consultation. See just how quickly and easily you can replace your old in-efficient windows with new Champion vinyl replacement windows!

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And these:

Replacement window experts for the greater Central Illinois, IL area.

Renewal by Andersen offers a start-to-finish replacement windows process, you get custom-crafted, energy-efficient windows and doors professionally installed for you.  Simply request a free in home window consultation and you’re on your way to enjoying your beautiful replacement windows and patio doors for years to come.  You’ll love your new windows!


Learn More
 

 

Visit our window or door product visualizer

Window and Door Visualizer Configure your windows or doors with our product visualizer!

 

2009 Tax Credit

2009 Energy Tax Credit The new stimulus plan includes replacement windows. Receive up to a $1,500** tax credit. Many Renewal by Andersen products qualify – Learn More

 

Need financing for your project?

Window and Door Financing We provide attractive financing options through GE Money – learn more

 

Read about our SmartSun™ glass

Windows with SmartSun Glass Announcing our most energy-efficient glass ever! New SmartSun™ glass is up to 70% more efficient. More

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Next up the scintillating topic of INsulation. …By the way if you live in the Connecticut area, you might check these guys out. I hear they do pretty good work….

http://www.simplyadditions.com/

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Local 193 of the International Brotherhood of Electricians Announces a new Green Union Hall

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I could have picked any number of Google “friendly” topics today like:

Gasoline prices rise Oil prices don’t – because I have long argued that the refiners will restrict production to raise prices because of the Speculator Driven Oil Shock of 2008.

Obama to announce new mileage standards – because I argued during the campaign that if Obama wanted a real energy policy change he would ban the sale of gasoline in anything other than 1 gallon containers. Gas driven cars would disappear overnight.

There is a local story however that needs to be covered. Local 193 of the IBEW is breaking ground for a new union hall later this month and it is going to be a doozy. Geothermal, Solar and Wind, the whole enchilada. God I have always wanted to say that.

While there is nothing up on their websites yet (hint hint)

http://www.unions.org/home/v-28641-13-IBEW-.htm

http://www.ibew193.com/

Nor do they list the Building Committee on there web site. Here is what one of their better writers, Tim Landis,  had to say in the State Journal Register. First in brief:

http://www.sj-r.com/business/x1393569371/Tim-Landis-Changes-to-Lincoln-Home-site-considered

The INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS 193 plans to break ground Friday for a union hall and training center at 3150 Wide Track Drive, just off Dirksen Parkway in Springfield.

According to the union, the “green building” will include solar panels that cover the roof, geothermal heating and cooling, and green space. Long-term plans are to add a wind-turbine. The training center will offer instruction in wind and solar technology.
The site is adjacent to the existing hall, which also will be upgraded once the new building is finished.

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Then in a longer piece that talks about the Greening of Central Illinois:

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 193 has begun construction of a new administrative office and training center at 3150 Wide Track Drive, just off Dirksen Parkway, in response to “green” trends in energy and job training, said business manager David Burns. The local represents about 800 workers in nine area counties.

“We just think that the green concept is more than right around the corner. It’s here,” Burns said.

In addition to use of geothermal heating and cooling, the solar panels on the roof are expected to provide most of the building’s electrical needs. Long-term plans are to add a wind turbine. Once the new hall is completed, the existing hall will be demolished to make way for green space, including landscaping and a retention pond.

But it’s the 12,500-square-foot training center that is the centerpiece of the green strategy for the labor union.

Plans are to offer hands-on training to apprentices in solar and wind technology. A “green jobs training curriculum” will include 70 lessons.

Burns said members already work on solar and wind projects, large and small, but that the training required will become more sophisticated along with the technology.

“We believe the demand is going to continue to grow,” Burns said. “As the technology gets better and better, we’re going to have to train people.”

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He listed these jobs that could enlist Electricians:

Jobs of the future?
A state list of “green jobs” outlines the top jobs that should be available in coming years or that will require retraining as alternative energy use increases. Additional information is available at http://www.ilworkinfo.com.

Among the categories:
* Building retrofitting. Electricians, heating and air conditioning, carpenters, construction equipment operators, roofers, insulation workers, carpenter helpers, industrial truck drivers, building inspectors and construction managers.

* Smart grids. Computer software engineers, electrical engineers, electrical equipment assemblers, electrical technicians, machinists, construction laborers, operating engineers, electrical power line installers and repair technicians.
* Wind power. Environmental engineers, iron and steel workers, millwrights, sheet metal workers, machinists, electrical equipment assemblers, construction equipment operators, industrial truck drivers, industrial production managers and production supervisors.
* Solar power. Electrical engineers, electricians, industrial machinery mechanics, welders, welders, metal fabricators, electrical equipment assemblers, construction equipment operators, installation helpers, laborers and construction managers.

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Way to go 193!

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Windows That Generate Electricity – Integrated Photovoltaics and your house

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I said yesterday, how would your world change if everything on the outside of your house generated electricity? I skipped windows because they are a topic in and of themselves.

http://www.buildingsolar.com/design.asp#anchor138832Vision Glass

Photovoltaic (PV) vision glass substitutes a thin-film, semi-transparent photovoltaic panel for the exterior glass panel in an otherwise traditional double-pane glass window or skylight. Electric wires extend from the sides of each glass unit and are connected to wires from other windows, building up the entire system. The technology, while available in Europe, is currently being developed as part of a United States Department of Energy PV-BONUS project.

On the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay campus, the system, rated at about 11 kW, substitutes Building Integrated Photovoltaic vision glass for traditional windows in the Wintergarden of Mary Ann Cofrin Hall.

This system spans 2,000 square feet and generates about 12,500 kWh annually. The “PV Glass” unit was manufactured by Viracon, Inc. using BP Solar MST-43LV 43-watt, thin-film photovoltaic modules and was installed in a standard Kawneer Company 1600 PowerWall (TM). In this application, BP Solar laser-etched their photovoltaic modules to create a desired transmittance for the Wintergarden.   Sunspace
Artist’s rendering of Wintergarden.

A total of 252 modules were installed. Each vision glass surface has 13 layers of thin film, altogether thinner than one piece of paper, sandwiched between two protective layers of glass.

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What if it was a SMART Window? One that opened when the house got too cold or too hot?

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V2V-4MH8BDR-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=4b8850a2c79f9f29640dca3f42ce3fde

Performance evaluation of a PV ventilated window applying to office building of Hong Kong

T.T. ChowCorresponding Author Contact Information, a, E-mail The Corresponding Author, K.F. Fonga, W. Hea, Z. Lina and A.L.S. Chana

Received 29 June 2006; 

revised 23 September 2006;

accepted 26 September 2006.

Available online 6 December 2006.


Abstract

PV ventilated glazing technology for application in warm climate provides energy saving opportunities through the reduction in air-conditioning load, the daylight utilization, and the green electric power generation. In a working environment, the use of semi-transparent a-Si glazing is deemed better than the one with non-transparent c-Si solar cells. This paper reports an evaluation of its integrated performance using a small office room in Hong Kong as an example. An energy model of a PV ventilated window system is first introduced. Based on this together with the TMY weather data of Hong Kong and the daylight simulation capability of the EnergyPlus program, the overall performance analysis have been executed for different window orientations. It was found that a solar cell transmittance in the range of 0.45–0.55 could achieve the best electricity saving.

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It’s getting to be big business:

http://www.optoiq.com/articles/display/361842/s-articles/s-laser-focus-world/s-industry-news/s-konarka-partners-with-window-company-on-bipv-integrating-photovoltaics-with-glass.html

Konarka partners with window company on BIPV; integrating photovoltaics with glass

May 12, 2009–Konarka Technologies (Lowell, MA), a developer of Konarka Power Plastic, a material that converts light to energy, entered into an advanced product development agreement with Florida-based Arch Aluminum & Glass Co. Together, they plan to collaborate on building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), with a memorandum of understanding to integrate Konarka’s patent-protected thin-film solar material into glass for various commercial BIPV applications (see “ Thin-film and organic photovoltaic manufacturing to reach 29 GWp” and “THIN-FILM PHOTOVOLTAICS: The key to success is higher efficiency“).

“Konarka is making great strides with our aggressive plans to expand into various markets, including building and construction,” said Rick Hess, president and CEO at Konarka. “Because our solar material is flexible, lightweight and semi-transparent, it integrates easier and is more aesthetically appealing than other solar products, making it ideally suited for BIPV applications. We expect that our collaborative work with Arch Aluminum & Glass will advance the delivery of Konarka Power Plastic on a large scale basis into this market segment.”

Arch Aluminum specializes in a wide range of artistic and architectural glass products to keep pace with the demands of today’s architects, designers and building developers. The company offers in-house laminating, heat-treating and fabrication technology as well as selective, engineered, off-the-shelf aluminum and glass products.

“Until today, aesthetic and performance concerns limited the ability of architects to use BIPV technology in their designs,” said Arch CEO Leon Silverstein. “This product development investigation is about the creation of a new product category, one that had been unavailable until today. It is energy-efficient and transparent with superior vertical performance and a subtle red, blue or green aesthetic. With these features, BIPV will no longer need to be confined to spandrel or overhead applications. An entire building can be put to use, producing its own power, and looking good doing so.”

In October 2008, Konarka opened the largest roll-to-roll flexible thin film solar manufacturing facility in the world, preparing for the commercialization and mass production of its solar material for various market segments including sensors, consumer products, tent and fabric structures, greenhouses, marine and boating, building construction, as well as fashion and accessories, among others.

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This would be Barack Obama’s GREEN Economy or as I like to say Greenomy.

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Flexible Solar Photovoltaics – They could change your view of electrical power forever

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What would the world look like if every surface of your house generated electricity. This is a very practical issue. During the illegal rate hikes of 2007 my brother Mike who owns an all electric house figured that for him to got off the grid it would take a 10 kilowatt system. At the time using only solid solar panels he figured there was not enough space on his roof to put the power generation there. But what if every surface of his house except the windows generated power. I am sure that he has enough sun facing surfaces to generate that much power. (more on the windows later. and yes I did recommend a personal windmill but…)

First there is the flex version of a stand panel which is light enough to hang on exterior walls:

http://store.altestore.com/Solar-Panels/Flexible-Rollable-Solar-Panels/c679/

Flexible Solar Panels, Flexible Portable Solar Panels, Solar Energy Panels from

Flexible solar panels are the perfect low wattage, environmentally friendly and space efficient energy solution. If you have an appliance or gadget that requires between 5 and 20 watts of power, these versatile flexible portable solar panels will be just the right fit. Just use these solar energy panels to charge up the battery you want to use to run your basic necessities. You can roll them up to move them or store them or install them semi-permanently. These are a great solution for camping or marine excursions where you may not have sufficient room for a traditional solar panel. These flexible solar panels come in multiple sizes and can offer multiple wattage power and they all weigh less than 2 pounds.

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It can even bend around corners:

http://www.siliconsolar.com/flexible-solar-panels.html

Flexible Solar Panels: The lightest thin film flexible solar panels on today’s market are available from Silicon Solar.

Solar technology has reached its most convenient, lightweight form: the newly-engineered flexible solar panel. Silicon Solar is the proud carrier of over 50 modules of flexible solar panels, offered in a variety of sizes.

Through recent developments, Silicon Solar has provided ways of listing thin, light weight, flexible solar panels allowing for multiple applications to now be solar accessible that never were before.

Thin Film solar cells and panels now allow for several types of application to be introduced into the market including solar backpacks, solar thin film clothing and athletic apparel. We at Silicon Solar have taken these methods to the extreme and receive requests from customers who give us incentive and constructive feedback on developing new ways of utilizing this technology not only for them, but for you as well. Each flexible solar panel can be rolled up to 2 inches in diameter, making the paper thin solar cell one of the most durable and long lasting solar modules on the market.

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What about a tent that generates all the electricity you need on a camping trip? I can’t show you much of the website because it is too heavey into video but:

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/

What’s New

Earth Care Products Using PowerFilm Technology
A stick-on solar panel to use to charge golf cart batteries while out on the course is voted the year’s best new product by the PGA.
http://www.solarenergygolfcarts.com/

PowerFilm’s USB + AA Solar Charger took second place in the Mobile CE – Fashion & Lifestyle Products competition at CTIA Wireless 2009.

Nearly 300 products were submitted for consideration for the various catagories and PowerFilm was among the few to be recognized.

Temporarily Unavailable
The RA-5 Accessory (12-Volt Deluxe Universal Battery Charger/Analyzer/Conditioner) is temporarily out of stock. Sorry for any inconvenience. Please check back soon!

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Finally what if your drapes in your windows or the couch in the bay window could be generators? Now imagine everyhouse in the United States outfitted this way.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080617114723.htm

Getting Wrapped Up In Solar Textiles

ScienceDaily (June 21, 2008) — Sheila Kennedy, an expert in the integration of solar cell technology in architecture who is now at MIT, creates designs for flexible photovoltaic materials that may change the way buildings receive and distribute energy.

These new materials, known as solar textiles, work like the now-familiar photovoltaic cells in solar panels. Made of semiconductor materials, they absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity.

Kennedy uses 3-D modeling software to design with solar textiles, generating membrane-like surfaces that can become energy-efficient cladding for roofs or walls. Solar textiles may also be draped like curtains.

“Surfaces that define space can also be producers of energy,” says Kennedy, a visiting lecturer in architecture. “The boundaries between traditional walls and utilities are shifting.”

Principal architect in the Boston firm, Kennedy & Violich Architecture, Ltd., and design director of its materials research group, KVA Matx, Kennedy came to MIT this year. She was inspired, she says, by President Susan Hockfield’s plan to make MIT the “energy university” and by MIT’s interdisciplinary energy curriculum that integrates research and practice.

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http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/solar-textiles-0609.html

MIT lecturer focuses on flexible photovoltaic materials

Sarah H. Wright, News Office
June 9, 2008

This spring, Kennedy taught a new MIT architecture course, Soft Space: Sustainable Strategies for Textile Construction. She challenged the students to design architectural proposals for a new fast train station and public market in Porto, Portugal.

For Mary Hale, graduate student in architecture, Kennedy’s Soft Space course was an inspiration to pursue photovoltaic technology in her master’s thesis.

“I have always been interested in photovoltaics, but before this studio, I am not sure that I would have felt empowered to integrate them into a personal, self-propelled, project,” she says.

Kennedy, for her part, will pursue her research in pushing the envelope of energy-efficiency and architecture. A recent project, “Soft House,” exhibited at the Vitra Design Museum in Essen, Germany, illustrates what Kennedy means when she says the boundaries between walls and utilities are changing.

For Soft House, Kennedy transformed household curtains into mobile, flexible energy-harvesting surfaces with integrated solid-state lighting. Soft House curtains move to follow the sun and can generate up to 16,000 watt-hours of electricity–more than half the daily power needs of an average American household.

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Dan Piraro, Jason Love And Matthew Difee Go Live – What do 3 pretty funny guys have to do with energy

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Or even the environment or residential energy conservation? Well Actually nothing but Dan lets me post a cartoon of his periodically here when I am completely out of ideas or when he is particularly brilliant which ever comes first. So when he asked his blog readers to reach out to media moguls and poobas to see if they might air a version of it like on Showtime or HBO I could not resist but first the toon:

http://bizarrocomic.blogspot.com/

bz-earthday-04-22-09wb.jpg

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Now the Pitch:

COMEDY SHOW!!!

(Click the image for largerer viewage.)

A RARE COMEDY EVENT COMING TO YOUR TOWN!!!
(If your town is New York City.)

I’m doing one of my increasingly rare comedy shows in NYC for an ENTIRE WEEK next month and I can’t bear the thought of going on unless you’re going to be there. Please don’t break my already fragile heart by saying, “I can’t afford to fly all the way to New York From Seattle,” or “I wish I could be there but I’m in prison until 2019.” What is more important to you? Your precious money or my flimsy ego? (Before you answer that, consider that I will give you an autograph when you come to the show, which you can then sell on eBay to offset $3-$4 of your airfare and hotel costs.)

Seriously, this is a big show for me. I do a talk or a short set now and then, most often on the West Coast, but I’m doing fewer of these long-form comedy shows all the time and this is a full week of performances off-Broadway in NYC, so there are a lot of seats to fill. Please come. If you can’t come, send someone you know in NYC to the show and tell them to tell me you said “hi.”

After the show, you’ll be able to meet me, Jason, and Matthew as we hang out in the lobby selling books, signing breasts, and pooping out witty ripostes like a member of the Algonquin Round Table. If you’re lucky, you might even meet CHNW!

Ticket info here. Hope to see you there!

 

Posted by PIRARO at 9:30 AM 8 comments

Labels: , ,

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So if you are the Chief Executive Officer of a cable channel like say:

Matt Blank

at Showtime

or

Bill Nelson

at HBO

or

Doug Herzog

at Comedy Central

or even

John Odoner

at JTV

Give these poor guys a break and send someone to their show. Thanks again Dan!
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Alternative Energy Costs Money – All the headlines that are simply wrong

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Conserving Energy Will Bankrupt Our Economy

Energy Efficiency Is Too Expensive For Poor People

Coal Will Always Be a Part Of Our Energy Mix

The Future Is Nuclear Power

And so it goes. I will say it only one time and then repeat it for the rest of my life, YOU WILL Always SAVE Money By Saving Energy. Right now in the worst Depression since the Great Recession people are still throwing their energy $$$ out the window. People are so used to Energy as a Commodity concepts that they talk about turning the thermostats down not Turning Their Insulation up. There is nothing wrong with drying your clothes on a clothesline. How are you going to lose money planting a garden?

No greater authority than Parade Magazine posts these articles from Sunday:

http://www.parade.com/news/2009/05/finding-joy-in-frugality.html

$AVINGS SURVIVAL GUIDE

Finding Joy in Frugality

by Alix Kates Shulman

published: 05/10/2009

Related Features

1. Savings Strategies

2. How To Save Smarter

3. My Haunted House

 

The author at home with her frugal finds, including flowers that she dried herself.

For decades, frugality has been despised as stinginess. But with the recent collapse of consumer culture, it is now in style again. Its return confirms that, given time, everything sensible eventually comes back into fashion—an article of faith to the thrifty, including me.

I was not always frugal. In high school I was as careless a spender as any other suburban American girl. The clothes and music I bought with my after-school earnings didn’t  begin to satisfy my longings, which I regularly laid on my parents as a fatal need for another sweater.

Then, suddenly, when I moved to New York for graduate school, I did a complete turnaround. Initially, I was motivated by the desire to spend a year abroad, which in those pre-credit-card days required saving money. But mainly, I think, living on my own for the first time, I felt free to revise my values to suit a serious-minded grad student.

I adopted a set of simple if stringent rules that still make sense today: If you don’t need it, don’t buy it; never buy a new one if your old one works; never buy an expensive one when a lower-priced one will do. I abandoned bookstores for libraries, restaurants for my kitchen, boutiques for bargains—and soon found myself enjoying a gleeful sense of liberation. By limiting my consumption and saving for what I really wanted, I felt empowered. Here was a way to beat the system and achieve control.

But frugality is one thing in a student, another in a woman of the world. As the years passed, I hung onto it, but I also knew better than to broadcast it. It became a secret strength, a guilty pleasure.

My delight in frugality took a giant step when, at age 50, I went one summer to a house on an island off the coast of Maine. It offered propane and rainwater instead of electricity and plumbing, and the island store was an hour’s walk away. Far from lamenting the lack of amenities, I felt stimulated and challenged. With nothing to buy and no one to impress, I set out to discover what mattered most. What I learned is how little one needs to be content and how much of life’s bounty is free if you open your eyes and use your imagination.

 

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This as well:

http://www.parade.com/news/2009/05/how-to-save-smarter.html

$AVINGS SURVIVAL GUIDE

How To Save Smarter

by Tim Harford

published: 05/10/2009

Not very long ago, Americans were terrible savers. In 2007, the average person put aside 60 cents of every $100, or .6% per paycheck. However, the current economic downturn has shocked us into depositing more at the bank. As of February, the personal savings rate was more than 4%. That’s a big improvement, but it’s still half of 1980s levels, when Americans routinely socked away 10% of their paychecks. Why is saving so hard? And how can we be smarter savers?

Behavioral economists—researchers who mix psychology and economics—have uncovered three reasons why people find it so difficult to save. The first is temptation: Although we often later regret it, we just can’t resist spending. The second is lack of understanding: Our brains can’t quite grasp the profitability of saving. The third is optimism: We believe that everything will work out, even if we don’t save.

Fortunately, researchers have found solutions to these problems. Temptation can be countered if you make saving as much fun as spending. This isn’t such a stretch. Neuroeconomist Ben Seymour of University College, London, sits in front of a brain scanner and watches what happens in our heads when we think about financial decisions. He found that imagining a future purchase is almost as good as getting it. For example, when we daydream about buying a new car, our brains respond in much the same way as when we actually make the purchase.

We can harness this buzz to our benefit by discarding vague ideas of “saving for a rainy day” and focusing instead on particular items we need or want. “Saving is much easier when it’s for something specific,” Seymour says. Reinforce this connection in your mind by opening a different savings account devoted to each of your goals: one for a new car, one for a vacation, one for a child’s college tuition fees.

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So is a Killowatt saved a Killowatt earned? Damn Straight:

http://www.green-energy-news.com/arch/nrgs2009/20090023.html

March 19, 2009 – Vol.13 No.52

ENERGY FRUGALITY MAKES GOOD BUSINESS.
by Bruce Mulliken, Green Energy News

Author, activist, statesman, inventor Benjamin Franklin famously said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Kilowatts weren’t yet conceived in his day but the experimenter in electricity certainly would have quipped, “Kilowatts saved are pennies earned.”

Somehow I think the man who believed in frugality would have been a vocal proponent of energy efficiency.

Today, saving energy and using it more efficiently is not just virtuous, it’s good business. In an economy struggling to get traction, spending less on energy can mean the difference between business failure and staying in it. A penny spent on energy savings can shift a negative number on the balance sheet into the positive column.

For an individual a switch to a more fuel efficient car or truck will make an immediate and noticeable difference in cash outflows. But adding more efficient lighting or beefing up insulation in a home will be barely noticeable on the monthly utility bill. (Rest assured; the savings will be there and evident in the long run.)

However, for a business, energy efficiency measures of all kinds will stand out when the bill comes due. When dozens, hundreds or thousands of light fixtures are changed to more efficient ones the effect on the bottom line will be immediate. Further, calculating the dollars and cents difference between the efficiency investment and long term energy savings can give a business a long term bill of health.

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Or This:

http://ase.org/content/news/detail/5549

 

Frugality 101: Why Pay More for Energy Than You Have To?

For Further Information
Rozanne Weissman 202/530-2217 rweissman@ase.org

For Immediate Release

(Editor’s note: The news release has hypertext links as well as complete web links to meet various media, web, and blog needs.)

Washington, DC, April 2009 – Although gasoline prices are heading upward once again, they are nowhere near last summer’s average high of $4.11 a gallon, meaning that you could drive more for less. But is that smart? As a matter of fact, one of the bright spots in this turbulent economy is that it will actually cost significantly less to power your home and vehicles this year than last year.

With “frugality” being the hot buzzword in this tough economy, why pay more for energy than you have to? The Alliance to Save Energy offers extensive money-saving resources and tips to reduce your energy bills so you and your family have more money for other things:

  • Unemployed, home more, and watching your home energy bills soar? When a home is in use 24/7, more energy is used for heating or cooling, lighting, home office equipment, electronics, water, and other needs. The Alliance to Save Energy’s consumer website (www.ase.org/consumers) offers an entire section on Tips to Lower Your Energy Bills.
  • $1,500 home energy efficiency tax credit. There’s no better time than this year or next year to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Certain home energy efficiency improvements are eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $1,500 through the end of 2010 as part of the February “stimulus” package. The Alliance provides all pertinent details on home and vehicle tax credits (http://ase.org/section/_audience/consumers/taxcredits). The tax credit increases the federal income tax refund you would get or lessens the money you would otherwise owe. In addition, these improvements would simultaneously reduce your monthly energy bills, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

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For much more:

www.consultenergyefficientdesign.com/2009/03/energy–frugality-makes-good-business.html

http://frugalist.instantcreditcard.com/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/5089236/Wartime-frugality-needed-to-help-fight-climate-change-says-Energy-Saving-Trust.html

http://americanenergycrisis.blogspot.com/2009/03/frugal-is-in-again.html

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Tidal Generators – Let’s harness the Moon before it drifts away

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It’s Jammin Band Friday. Not only that but I have spent so much time this week hyping the Wind Power 2009 conference/convention that I thought I should end on a surfin note:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKROlUWkbsQ

It is a little know fact that the moon is moving away from the Earth at about an inch per year. We know this because on one of the Apollo Landings (quick for those of you who don’t believe that they ever happened -CLOSE Your Eyes) they placed an aluminum block on it’s surface. Since that time and with intensifying accuracy we have been bouncing lasers off of it and this has allowed us to determine the distance to the moon (its original purpose) but the unexpected find that that distance is widening…Anyway this means that eventually the Moon will drift away into space. I think we should harvest its today power while we can. I mean in a million years or so it could be gone. Here is a huge thought problem for you…Where will it go?..Whoa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz-I2pYc4Kg

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http://www.gedwardcook.com/

We The People 

Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness:  Health Care is a RIGHT 
Solar Power  The Wave of Tomorrow!!!
The three devices  The Syphon Wave Generator , The Floating Wave Generator and The Under The Bottom Generator
could have a major effect in stopping global warming by converting ocean waves into electricity.
Click Here to see the new Syphon Wave Generator video on You Tube!!
            The Syphon Wave Generator           The Floating Wave Generator          The Under the Bottom Generator
Patent No. 7355298     04/08/2008               Patent No. US 7315092    01/01/2008          Patent Pending No. 61204580
                              The Three inventions are being developed by Green Wave Energy Corp www.GWEConline.com
Click these links for more information and videos
NEW!   WORKING SYPHON MOVIE
THE FLOATING WAVE GENERATOR
  There will soon be a new video of a working Floating Wave Generator producing Hydrogen and Real Power and The Under the Bottom Generator!!
ARE YOU READY FOR REAL CHANGE?
How about a power plant for less than $1 per watt to construct and install?
Click here for more information!
For Energy Saving Products including:
Wind Mills   Solar Collectors  and  Power Save Products
go to  GWEC    www.GWEConline.com  
 WHAT WILL THESE GENERATORS DO?
STOP GLOBAL WARMING!
These units could produce enough power to replace most oil, coal and nuclear power plants with 100% solar produced electricity.  The Syphon Wave Generators would produce enough electricity at such a low cost they would make it possible to separate the hydrogen from ocean water and  store it in power cells to use in our cars and trucks. We would also be able to convert homes now powered with heating oil to electric heat saving billions of gallons of oil per year. I estimate one square mile of Syphon Wave Generators, in good locations with average two meter waves, would produce as much power as ten nuclear reactors.  1,000,000,000 watts!
FEED THE HUNGRY!
Today we are growing more and more crops to convert into fuel to run our cars. These crops could feed every hungry person in the world.  I find this unconscionable. We could and should be using our farm land to grow food crops and use the solar power to power our world. We could do this and the Syphon Wave Generator and the Floating Wave Generator are tools to help make this happen.
Thanks for your interest
G Edward Cook
 
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http://blogs.tampabay.com/energy/2008/10/wave-power-gene.html

October 02, 2008

Wave power generator cranks up off Portuguese coast, and Oregon may be next

Pelamiswavepower The world’s first commercial wave power project has cranked up at last three miles off the Portuguese coast, CNN reports. The first phase is expected to generate 2.25 megawatts, enough power for 1,000 homes, according to the Guardian.

“If successful, a second phase will see energy generation rise to 21 megawatts from a further 25 machines providing electricity for 15,000 Portuguese homes,” CNN says.

The generators, made by a company called Pelamis, are three red cylindrical converters (shown here) which are partially submerged in the Atlantic Ocean. “Moving up and down on the endless waves of the open sea, they convert motion into electricity, without emitting any of the carbon dioxide that is warming the planet,” the Guardian notes.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxYbR-YyNjs

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http://www.sri.com/news/releases/080307.html

Novel Wave-Powered Generators Deployed in Sea Trials off Florida Coast

 

Technology from SRI International Offers Clean Energy Production from Ocean Waves

Wave BuoyST. PETERSBURG, FLA. – August 3, 2007 – SRI International, an independent, nonprofit research and development organization, announced today the deployment of a prototype buoy-mounted, ocean wave-powered generator off the coast of Florida in the Tampa Bay. Beginning today, SRI will test the wave-powered generator for approximately two weeks. The deployment is part of a program sponsored by HYPER DRIVE Corporation, Ltd., a Japanese company focused on development and deployment of wave-powered generators around the world.

SRI’s wave-powered generators can be deployed on existing ocean buoys that use batteries as their energy source. SRI’s new generator utilizes patented electroactive polymer artificial muscle (EPAM™) technology, and offers a renewable method to continually power ocean buoys. SRI will use instrumentation that allows remote monitoring of the generator’s output energy as well as wave height and buoy motion. Assisting the Menlo Park, California-based research team are researchers in SRI’s new Marine Technology Program, which is located in St. Petersburg, Florida. SRI is also working with Artificial Muscle, Inc., an SRI spin-off company and the exclusive licensee of EPAM, in the development of the EPAM components for the wave-powered generators.

“HYPER DRIVE is excited to work with SRI on this important application of EPAM technology,” said Shuji Yonemura, CEO, HYPER DRIVE. “We see great potential in applying this technology to wave-power generation around the world in the near future.”

“When SRI International opened its operations in St. Petersburg earlier this year, we anticipated great strides in marine research like we see today,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker. “This energy-generating technology is a perfect fit for an industry based in St. Petersburg, which was designated Florida’s first and only green city by the Florida Green Building Coalition.”

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOuS04rPwj4

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http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/bouncing_buoy_w.php

wave_power_1.jpg

Proving once again that there is little new under the sun (or the waves) is this 1932 version of the wave power generators that we showed here and here. It works on the basis of an “inertia motor” where “When a wave starts to lift the hollow sphere, the massive weight inside, because of its inertia, resists the movement and exerts terrific pressure in the lower cylinder. Finally the inertia of the weight is overcome. Then it possesses momentum. When the sphere reaches the crest of a wave, the combined effort of the momentum and the recoil of the huge, semi-elliptic springs exerts an equal pressure in the upper cylinder. The tremendous pressure is applied to oil, which, in turn, operates a special turbine which runs a generator. The current is conducted to the shore by submarine cable.” ::Modern Mechanix

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Heaven Let The Light Shine Down – indeed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKROlUWkbsQ&feature=related

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Wind Power 2009 In Chicago – It is the last day and I thought I would at least put up something

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I checked the Tribune – nothing. I checked the Sun Times – nothing. I googled and got several up and coming Wind Power Conventions/Conferences – nothing:

Wind Power Asia

http://www.windpowerasia.com/

Wind Power Transmission

http://www.windpowertd-events.com/

Small Wind Conference

http://www.the-mrea.org/smallwind.php

This one that happened in Chicago in MARCH:

 http://www.platts.com/Events/2009/pc908/

The Oil Drum won’t load up:

http://www.theoildrum.com/

Connection Interrupted
The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading.
The network link was interrupted while negotiating a connection. Please try again.

Fucking geniuses

In desperation I started reading Peak OIL. By God they came through:

http://www.peakoil.com/

Thankyou Coyote

http://www.peakoil.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=48183

Reuters too of course:

http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5457XA20090506

Some Americans clamor to try wind power at home

Wed May 6, 2009 6:30pm EDTBy Andrew Stern

CHICAGO (Reuters) – The idea of wind turbines churning out free electricity alongside every home and office building has appeal, judging by the throngs around “community wind” purveyors at a Chicago wind power convention this week.

Darrin Russell of Southwest Windpower was inundated with questions during the Windpower 2009 convention where he explained the economics of the company’s workhorse 2.4 kilowatt Skystream turbine, which plugs into the local electrical grid.

“It’s nice watching the (electricity) meter go backward. Sometimes it gets going pretty fast when the wind blows hard” which it does often at the company’s headquarters in Flagstaff, Arizona, he said.

Russell paid practically nothing for his own turbine, which costs roughly $14,000 to buy and install, thanks to a newly enacted 30 percent federal tax credit for wind projects large and small, state tax credits and rebates of up to $9,000 from many utilities eager to promote renewable energy. The first month his electricity bill was zero.

The company sells to business, homeowners and developers.

“Some companies like to line them up outside instead of flags” to promote their green credentials, he said. “Helps keep their offices cool at least.”

Retailers can draw in environmentally conscious customers if they have a wind turbine outside, experts say.

Potential buyers from Chile, South Korea and the state of Michigan flocked around Southwest Windpower’s olive-green machine with three distinctively curved blades, designed to cut noise. Russell said the company has sold 5,000 small turbines in the past two years, and 150,000 in total.

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Chicago Media Shun The Wind Power 2009 Conference – Oh the bankrupt Tribue ran an op/ed piece about government intervention

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But you would think that a convention/conference that brings 15,000 participants, represents the future and is in a city with a mayor, Richard Daley, who wants to be the greenest governor in the US, that there would be some coverage of “The Latest In Wind Technologies” or “Where Does Chicago Fit Into The New Energy Future” or at least an address by the Mayor. NADA Zilch Nothing. Other people noticed however:

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090504006376&newsLang=en

World Business Chicago Facilitates International Networking at WINDPOWER 2009 Conference

 

WINDPOWER 2009

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–World Business Chicago (WBC) and its Chairman, Mayor Richard M. Daley, in conjunction with other key public, private and non-profit partners, tonight hosted a VIP networking reception as part of the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) WINDPOWER 2009 Conference and Exhibition at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

The reception, with more than 200 people in attendance, was presented by a collaboration of organizations including the AWEA (Organizer/Sponsor), WBC (Organizer/Sponsor), MEGA (Sponsor), the City of Chicago (Organizer), the State of Illinois (Organizer) and the Illinois Finance Authority (Organizer).

The wind power industry is a top economic development priority for WBC, based on the industry’s high growth potential, profitability, job creation/diversity, and wage levels. Chicago offers wind industry companies locational advantages including a skilled labor force, proximity to markets and supplies, natural sources of wind in Illinois and the Midwest, available real estate, access to airports, rail and highway systems and strong public sector commitments to wind industry use and production.

“The WINDPOWER Conference provides World Business Chicago with a wonderful opportunity to showcase Chicago’s position as a prime location for wind power companies,” said Rita Athas, executive director of World Business Chicago. “By hosting this event, we are facilitating dialogue between visiting and local wind power companies, Chicago area companies that may do business with them and our local leaders, in order to foster growth and new opportunities.”

The Chicago area’s locational advantages for the wind industry are evident in recent additions of notable wind power companies include:

Area Headquarters

  • Acciona N. America HQ
  • E.ON N. America Climate & Renewables HQ
  • Nordex USA Inc. HQ
  • Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation N. American HQ
  • Invenergy LLC HQ
  • Midwest Wind Energy LLC HQ
  • Trintek Energy Consulting HQ
  • Wind for Illinois HQ

Area Non-Headquarter Offices

  • Vestas America
  • Horizon Wind Energy
  • Siemens Energy & Automation
  • Winergy Drive Systems Corporation – subsidiary of Siemens

WINDPOWER 2009, the largest annual wind conference and exhibition in the world, takes place May 4th – 7th, 2009. The show features more than 18,000 attendees and 1,200 exhibitors and is expected to generate an economic impact of more than $33.3-million to Chicago, according to the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (based on the initial estimated attendance of 14,000). Approximately 80 Illinois companies will exhibit at the conference.

The 2009 show was originally set for Minneapolis and moved to Chicago to accommodate a 20% increase over expected attendance, which doubles last year’s show in Houston. WINDPOWER is one of the 50 fastest-growing shows in North America according to Trade Show Weekly. Chicago hosted AWEA’s convention in 2004, when it drew 3,000 attendees.

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Everything you need to know to get there:

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/events/view?id=45803

Siterra Booth 5580 at Wind Power 2009

Company: Siterra Corporation
Start date: May 4, 2009
End date: May 7, 2009
Cost: see AWEA.com
Location: McCormick Convention Center, Chicago IL
Website: Visit event website

Siterra will have a booth (5580) at the AWEA Wind Power 2009 Expo in Chicago May 4-7.

WINDPOWER 2009 Conference and Exhibition is the largest annual wind conference and exhibition in the world featuring over 15,000 attendees and over 1,200 exhibitors. Each year, wind energy professionals gather at this event to learn about the latest industry developments and technologies, review new products and services in the expansive exhibit hall, and network with leading industry decision makers. Join us for what promises to be another exciting event taking place May 4th – 7th, 2009, at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Directions:
McCormick Place Convention Center

Welcome to Chicago’s McCormick Place, a premier convention facility in North America. Located just minutes from downtown Chicago, McCormick Place is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) and attracts close to 3 million visitors each year. McCormick Place is comprised of four state-of-the-art buildings: the North and South Buildings, the West Building and Lakeside Center. Together, they form what many consider to be the economic engine that powers the entire convention and tradeshow industry. McCormick Place is committed to creating a great experience for every person, every time!

For a map of McCormick Place Convention Center: http://www.mccormickplace.com/floorplans/map_index.html

For more information: http://www.mccormickplace.com/index.html

Exhibitors: For information on exhibiting in Chicago, FOCUS One utilities, and guidelines and services, visit http://www.mccormickplace.com/exhibitor/exhibitor_01.html.

Guest Services: Click here to open a .pdf document outlining some of the guest services at McCormick Place Convention Center.

Accessibility Map: Click here to open a .pdf map showing the location of all elevators for wheelchair access.
For additional disability services at the convention center, visit http://www.mccormickplace.com/facilities/disabilities.html

Meeting Room Rentals: Interested in renting a meeting room at the convention center or connected Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel? Contact Stefanie Brown at sbrown@awea.org to receive additional information and a meeting room request form.

Parking at the McCormick Place Convention Center: There are several parking lots nearby to the McCormick Place facility including, South, North and West Buildings, Lakeside Center, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, and Soldier Field South Lot. The parking rate is currently $19 per day (one time access). Or exhibitors may order a parking permit that allows for in-and-out privileges for $23.75. Click here to visit the parking & directions part of the McCormick Place website for more information. Please note – the parking information is subject to change and listed here as helpful information for conference attendees.

Driving Directions and Additional Parking Information for the McCormick Place Convention Center: http://www.mccormickplace.com/maps_direct/maps_dir.html
Contact:
Barbara Martin
barbara.martin@siterra.com
415-875-7114:}

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Enbridge Energy And The Rape Of The Canadian Oil Sands – Damge that you can see from space

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Why are these people?:

http://www.enbridge.com/

News Releases

04.29.2009

Enbridge Inc. Announces Change to Webcast Start Time for 2009 First Quarter Financial Results

more…

04.20.2009

Enbridge’s Hybrid Fuel Cell Power Plant Featured on Daily Planet and a Finalist in Green Toronto Awards

News Release (PDF – 69.0KB)

04.08.2009

Joint energy industry carbon dioxide storage project achieves key milestone

more…

04.03.2009

Enbridge Ontario Wind Power Turns on Green Energy in Kincardine

more…

04.02.2009

CCS proposals offer significant emission reductions

more…

04.01.2009

Enbridge Announces plans to hold Open Season for proposed LaCrosse Pipeline

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Doing this?

can1.jpg

www.solarnavigator.net

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/story.html?id=70fd4398-81ff-4f17-8ad4-d81e1abe8a46

 

Oilsands damage is ignored

In a province running out of conventional oil and gas, Alberta’s oilsands are seen as a lifeline that will guarantee the continuation of our comfortable energy-driven society.

By The Edmonton Journal          July 29, 2006

In a province running out of conventional oil and gas, Alberta’s oilsands are seen as a lifeline that will guarantee the continuation of our comfortable energy-driven society.

Too much of the time, people in this province don’t think about the cost of this gigantic oilsands development. It’s easy to do: most Albertans don’t live in, and rarely visit, the northern one-fifth of the province where the oilsands lie. What we don’t personally see or smell or taste, we tend to ignore.

The four-day series on the environmental impact of the oilsands boom written by Journal environment reporter Hanneke Brooymans, which started on Friday, is a valuable corrective to our neglect.

can.jpg

www.wellsphere.com

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/12/canadian_oil_at.php

Canadian Oil: At What Price?

by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 12. 9.05

Most of you are already aware of the damage caused by the burning and the extraction of oil (like the apprehended damage caused by extraction in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, for example). But what about the famous Canadian tar sands? After only two years of digging for bitumen near Fort McMurray in Alberta, Shell has already dug up a pit that is as much as three miles wide and 200 feet deep. 400-ton trucks, said to be the largest in the world, are used to move around all that dirt, and it takes a lot of it since on average 2 tons of tar sand are required to make 1 barrel of oil.

can2.jpg

www.ienearth.org

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/155046/Oil-sands-company-now-says-1606-ducks-diedhttp://www.responsibleminer.com/234/canadian-oil-sands-declared-more-environment-damage.html

Oil sands company now says 1,606 ducks died

04/01/2009 | 06:49 AMEDMONTON, Alberta — A Canadian oil sands company says more than three times as many ducks died last spring on a northern Alberta toxic waste pond than the 500 birds originally estimated.

Syncrude Canada chief executive Tom Katinas said Tuesday the carcasses of 1,606 ducks were collected from the toxic oily waters. The ponds contain waste from the process of separating oil from sand.

Katinas released the updated figure a week after an Alberta court granted the consortium three more months to enter a plea on federal and provincial wildlife charges. – AP

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Don’t Believe go look for yourself:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=canadian%20oil%20sands&gbv=2&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il

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Why should we in Illinois care?

http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1092988725/Officials-lobby-for-oil-pipeline-project-might-start-in-early-summer

 

Officials lobby for oil pipeline; project might start in early summer

Environmental groups oppose last phase of Canadian-U.S. energy company’s plan

By TIM LANDIS (tim.landis@sj-r.com)

GateHouse News Service

Posted Apr 29, 2009 @ 12:06 AM

Last update Apr 29, 2009 @ 10:39 AM

SPRINGFIELD —

Construction of a major underground oil pipeline along the eastern edge of Sangamon County could begin as early as this summer.

An energy developer and the Canadian consul general from Chicago are in Springfield this week to seek support for the endeavor as a major boost for jobs and energy security, including a meeting scheduled today with Gov. Pat Quinn.

The first section of the nearly 3-year-old, $350 million construction project has been completed to an area about 50 miles northeast of Peoria.

But the final phase has run into opposition from environmental groups and some landowners, who say the pipeline would only encourage continued reliance on polluting petroleum products and would violate property rights.

“Canada has the second-largest reserves in the world. There’s 170 billion barrels of reserves, and 97 percent are in the oil sands,” said Don Thompson, president of The Oil Sands Developers Group.

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