sustainable energy
Your Questions About Sustainable Energy For All
Lizzie asks…
Major in ChemEng, and minor in sustainable energy, good idea?
I want to do a Major and Minor, University of Toronto offers chemical engineering program and it says i can minor in 1) sustainable energy 2) environmental engineering 3) biomedical engineering
I would choose 1) because i think it has the highest demand in the future.
So, will I be able to find a job with a minor in like lets say, Hydro company with my minor in sustainable energy.
Does having a minor really help?
admin answers:
A minor will only “expose” you to the subject. I don’t think it will have any direct impact on your future employment since it only introduces you the very basic foundations. Referring to what you said about Hydro companies, i think they would much prefer someone with a more suitable background (i.e Civil or Engsci’s Energy Systems Engineering).
Did you know that U of T now allows engineering students to take a minor in the faculty arts & science. Why not choose one of the hundreds of minors available within art&sci? I think something like Chem Eng & Econ/ Chem Eng & Stats would be a good combo.
David asks…
What do you think is stopping human beings around the world from thriving?
People live in poverty, lack access to food, clean water and sustainable energy. People die from starvation, disease and war. Who or what is responsible for this?
Joe – I’m talking about lack of access on a global scale.
It’s time that people start thinking “outside the box.” We close our minds to certain ideas or realities because not doing so would reveal just how dire our situation is. Most of the population have become sheep who have been convinced that they need a shepherd.
just thinking – But why?
admin answers:
The people who have the money and control of it are greedy. They do not care enough to change those things.And the people who do care and try to help do not have the resources to do it.
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy
Susan asks…
What has Bangladesh done to establish sustainable energy in it’s Nation?
-What projects, project proposals, development plans and in progress plans has Bangladesh had over the years to shift to sustainable energy? Any open declarations by leaders promising energy sustainability would also be appreciated.
admin answers:
I agree that moving toward sustainable energy is very important for Bangladesh and am excited to see the progress in the solar energy that a previous poster mentioned. One big challenge is that in many developing nations, not just Bangladesh, they can set up small solar outfits, but there is no infrastructure in place to share power generated with the larger community. An even bigger challenge is that even if Bangladesh chose to use only sustainable *sources of energy*, the infrastructure right now would still not be capable of fully supporting is population base. There is still a long road ahead for Bangladesh in terms of sustainable energy (not even going into the more holistic view of sustainability), but the seeds have been planted and I’m confident that the people of Bangladesh are up to the challenge and moving in the right direction.
Richard asks…
What type of engineers work in the field of sustainable energy?
What type of engineers work in the field of sustainable energy? For example solar power energy, wind energy, wave energy, water current energy. Would it be environmental engineering, civil or Mechanical?
thanks
what do you mean bbullough
admin answers:
Typically mechanical or chemical… But mostly engineers who work for companies that survive only on government subsidies and tax breaks… ’cause it ain’t sustainable.
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Development
William asks…
Class, the “green” movement is creating new companies and new industries that help with energy conservation,?
renewal energy development, environmental clean-up, and other ways to make life on Earth more sustainable. What are some opportunities for small businesses to make profits in this area? What advantages might small businesses have over large businesses in pursuing these opportunities?
admin answers:
Simple, most of green products, till now to be honest, at lest not impressive if not worst. If you have a small business, ideas and know how, you can produce better quality working green products versus big corporations that produce stuff that either doesn’t work or very poor quality. After all your small business will depend on quality of the products it pushing.
James asks…
What do conservatives believe they are achieving by putting off the development of sustainable energy?
Do they not know that any financial price they have to pay for it now will be doubled or tripled by the time their children are forced to deal with the fact that the fossil fuels are not infinite and their price depends on them being plentiful?
admin answers:
Conservatives are not putting off developing sustainable energy
You are free to invest YOUR time and money into it any time you want.
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Without The Hot Air
Mary asks…
What are some of the things you do to lead a more sustainable lifestyle?
Many years ago, Kate and I developed a Stewardship Model for Tom’s of Maine in order to codify all of the natural, sustainable practices we were already following—such as only using natural ingredients and never testing on animals. The Stewardship Model sets out very specific standards for natural, sustainable, and responsible practices, and guides all of us every day in our decision making.
Kate and I also feel that a commitment to sustainability should be incorporated into all areas of the company—not just the product formulations. Let me share just two examples: our packaging designer, Jack, purchases only post-consumer-waste recycled and recyclable materials and soy-based inks; and my Director of Product Supply, Mark, had some great ideas about using renewable energy sources, so in 2006, we began purchasing wind energy credits to offset 100% of our factory’s electricity needs.
admin answers:
I recycle, grow many of my own vegetables (without pesticides and herbicides), maintain my home so that it is as energy efficient as possible, purchased a new high efficiency washer and dryer pair (uses less gas to dry because washer spins clothes better), keep my tires on my car properly inflated (increases gas mileage), flush my hot water heater regularly (improves efficiency and increases lifespan of heater), use a thermos instead of bottled water (wastes the plastic), buy recycled materials when possible, reuse bags from grocery store, buy soy ink printed materials whenever possible, buy soy ink checks, buy recycled checks, cook from scratch often (less packaging), get regular oil changes/air filter changes (improves mileage), pickup after my dog, don’t smoke tobacco, installed new energy saving windows in our home, and last, but not least…
I write my State Legislators, Member of Congress, Senators, Mayor, Governor, and even the President to ask that they support legislation that will encourage the expansion of alternative energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal. I also advocate for the use of gray-water systems and other “green” alternatives. Check out these websites:http://www.1000fom.org/
http://www.mngreenremodeling.com/
Donald asks…
What kind of fuel alternative do you think would be best? Electric, hydrogen, ethanol, other?
There a few different options yet it seems that the switch is very slow. What do you think would be the best alternative and do you think it would be a possibility to offer them all to the public at once.
Thank you for the great answers so far everyone. Breath of Wind I agree with most of what you said. We might need to look into different energies for different situations.
admin answers:
Hydrogen takes too much energy to create, there isn’t enough spare land for biomass – electricity is probably the solution since it can be generated from many different sources which can become greener as technology advances. ‘Sustainable Energy without the hot air’ is a good read if UK centered
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Fund
Laura asks…
How can I get funding to reconstuct an old house and start a community awareness prog for sustainability?
We want to educate our neighborhood about sustainable building options. The project is called the Lemon Road House Project and is based in Olympia, Washington. We will deconstruct a 60 year old house and construct a energy efficient, sustainable house to use as a focal point for the community education program. We need funding in the way of grants, donations, etc. Any suggestions?
admin answers:
Im doing fund raising for the 40hour famine in one day i collected $50, but if u get a few people to go around collecting money from generous people and make people aware of this issue you could get quite a bot on money
Ruth asks…
Should Governments be rebuilding the economy – or developing a new, sustainable one?
Government funds now propping up “old” economic structures (commercial banks) and outdated infrastructure (cars/freeways) – and strategies like Emission Trading Schemes framed to protect polluters “to save jobs” – could be funding pollution-free energy systems etc to answer Climate Change, CREATING new jobs — and an economy aimed at need instead of merely “created wants”. But how widespread is awareness of options? And acceptance of Climate Change warnings?
admin answers:
Yes, however, politicians aren’t really qualified to do so. It is up to “we the people” to make change by changing ourselves. I am optimistically thinking that the anti-change camp (conservatives) are in decline. And that the younger generations are smarter. But those who fear change are still powerful and they are doing all they can to stop progress. Awareness is growing, but it is difficult to see or hear. To see why just visit the “Global warming” category here. The deniers seem to be a majority. And they are very emotional, downright religious, about the issue. Just keep in mind that their emotional state is evidence that they are losing, and they are losing because of their own self destructive emotions. YAY! The so called “evidence” they keep presenting is so wrong it’s hilarious. They are actually claiming that the Earth is cooling, and the ice caps are growing. Their own lies will be their own undoing.
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Technologies
Chris asks…
Is nuclear energy resource is a clean,cold and sustainable energy technology to fueling the future?
How would u challenge to innovate alternative energy technology to renewable energy resources at cheap price?
admin answers:
Nuclear energy is not “cold”, I am not sure what you meant by that. The whole principle of how muclear energy is used to generate electrcity relies on the fact that it gives off a lot of heat.
It is also not too clean either. The depleted nuclear waste posses a problem of where to dispose of it. It will stay radio active for hundreds of thousands of years, so whereever you put it it needs to be out of the way and secure. Right now, the government is planning to store the stock piles of nuclear waste deep underground under Yucca Mountain (in Nevada I think), but there is a lot of debate over this.
As for sustainable, perhaps not in the long run. There is only so much fissionable material on Earth, it will run out eventually just like fossil fuels. A more long term nuclear energy sourse would rely on fusion, not fission, but this has yet to be practical.
Donald asks…
Is our gasoline dependence a matter of national security?
I think we should demand energy independence from our politicians — including a defined commitment toward sustainable, renewable energy technologies. Do you think that this should be part of any candidate’s platform?
admin answers:
How about like Drilling at Anwr and other US points and Build more Refineries ( the real Bottle neck in this Oil rich world) The problem with renewable (soundbite name) is it is not well though out. Like the Corn Idea! A gallon of Corn ethonol gives you Worse Milage meaning More Pollution and less efficiancy. Hydrogen is a decade away at best and here is the Big Problem. Like in the 70’s ( according to Dad) solar and other sources were Moving along due to High gas prices and as soon as they started to make in roads Oil went down enough to make them too expensive. SO here we go again we come up with a trillion dollar Hyrdogen answer and OPEC reduces oil to 10 cents a gallon and everybody runs! We need to let the Market drive it or we will play this game forever LAWS ( and Politico’s) cannot do it.
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Definition
Sandy asks…
Why is burning coal not sustainable? Do natural gas and petroleum stack up any better?
Three reasons why coal is not sustainable? And do natural gas and petroleum stack up any better in terms of sustainability?
admin answers:
One reason coal burning is unsustainable from an environmental standpoint is that is finite, and using it will deplete it’s use for future generations. In fact, that is the definition of unsustainable. Another factor is that coal burning releases sulfur, and sulfur dioxide is a component of industrial smog, a noxious fume that kills many people and produces a slew of respiratory diseases. Not to say coal is useless, but its downsides may be particularly pronounced
Each source of energy has its own issues. Natural gas is essentially limitless but is probably hard to capture. Petroleum is also finite and involves drilling. The scales may tip towards natural gas for these reasons
Ruth asks…
What does it take to call a building “green”?
Can you market your building as “green” if it has just a few green features, or does it have to meet certain minimum guidelines? I am thinking about this in the way that the word “organic” is regulated on food labels.
Also – do you think it’s redundant to call something “green” and “sustainable” in the same sentence? I am putting together a sign for my company’s real estate development, and I’m wondering if it is pointless to call the project “a green, sustainable development” or if both words really mean the same thing.
admin answers:
I don’t think there is a green certification, however, there are some things to consider.
Energy star certification.
Green building/ construction methods (hay bale, cob, cordwood, papercreate, adobe, earth shelters… )
Minimizing the use of concrete (pier or rubble trench foundations )
Passive solar design
Solar hotwater
Separate grey water systems
Sustainable certified lumbar
The list goes on and on
The term green is probably the best way to go. You are opening a big can of worms if you use the term sustainable. Sustainable has a real definition. A friend of mine sells “sustainable” clothing, woven with thread from banana leaves. That is not sustainable in and of itself. Scientists have predicted that bananas (the type we eat) will soon face a blight that we can not protect them from, ending its presence in our super markets. Although the thread may be a commendable effort at maximizing a resource that otherwise may have been left unused, bananas in general are not a sustainable resource. Every material in the house would have to be made from a sustainable resource (like wood and hay) and would exculde non sustainable materials like (metal, plastics….). Then again, there is no MARKET definition for sustainable.
If you are interested in charging more money for a “green development” and using expensive things like bamboo flooring, or salvaged lumbar from the bottoms of lakes and rivers, or anything ridiculously expensive and unpractical, then forget everything I said. Just put whatever you want on the sign, spit in thier face, and ask them for $400,000
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy
Maria asks…
What aspect of renewable or sustainable energy would you be interested in looking into?
What aspect of renewable or sustainable energy would you, personally, be interested in looking into as a possible way to achieve a sustainable future?
Not asking anyone to answer this for me, but I don’t really understand the question. Is it asking like what type of energy source? Or what? Thank you!
admin answers:
There are several kinds of renewable or sustainable energy sources and these are different.
Renewable energy is what is there on our planet, that you can use and there will be more tomorrow, without you having to do anything. Those types of energy are solar and wind energy. You can capture these sources of energy fairly “easily”. (There are also geothermal, tidal and hydro electricity but those are not available everywhere – but they are all still renewable energy)
Sustainable energy comes from sources that you can keep going without reducing the availability (if you replace them). This would include wood, for instance. You can cut and burn wood for energy and replace it by planting more trees.
These are all different from non-renewable and non-sustainable sources, such as coal, oil and gas which are non renewable and non sustainable.
My personal interests would lie in (a) solar energy and (b) wood. In the northern part of the UK, the sun doesn’t always shine as much as we would like but wood grows well, so you get the use of both in case of need.
Helen asks…
What aspect of renewable or sustainable energy would you be interested in looking into as a possible?
What aspect of renewable or sustainable energy would you, personally, be interested in looking into as a possible way to achieve a sustainable future?
Not asking anyone to answer this for me, but I don’t really understand the question. Is it asking like what type of energy source? Or what? Thank you!
admin answers:
Solar power; Geothermal power; Windmills; Wave power and Tidal power are all necessary if we are to reduce our reliance on coal, gas and uranium to a sustainable level.
I personally am also interested in powering a laptop from a stationary bicycle with a fly wheel and generator.
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Companies
Charles asks…
Can more be done to prevent the growth of local sustainable environmentally sensible economic growth?
besides giving billions of dollars to oil and energy companies?
admin answers:
Goodness yes. Obama tried hard to use his stimulus to create jobs in sustainable energy. Republicans, of course, fought that all the way. Reagan stripped Carter’s solar panels off the WH and nothing has changed since. If you care about clean stainable energy, always vote Democratic.
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Laura asks…
Would it not make sense to divert profits from oil companies, via tax, into sustainable energy resources?
Increasing oil prices may curb demand, but why does that have to translate into profits for oil companies?
admin answers:
It might. Maybe we should have done what Europe has been doing for years. Gas prices have been $4-$5 per gallon in Germany for many years … Not because of the price of oil, but because of higher taxes. In other words, Europe hasn’t diverted profits … They’ve taken it from tax payers.
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy For All
Paul asks…
Is scalar energy killing the universe?
0 point fluctuation or cosmic energy exists everywhere, we also know that it’s part of our consciousnesses.
A device that takes advantage of the casimir effect to generate electricity can provide free and sustainable energy for Mr mankind without the need for capitalism. The energy however is not created out of nothing . The energy comes from the quantization of certain forces to create movement. Would “Absorbing” energy from the universe like this technically reduces the lifetime of the universe. I know that energy can never be destroyed only conserved but this is something else all together.
admin answers:
The amount of energy in empty space is enormous but there is some doubt if it could be affected by any retrieval means we could come up with. It’s estimated that empty space contains Zero Point energy that is equivalent to many trillions of Joules of energy per cubic centimeter
” Since space itself is thought to break up into a kind of quantum foam at a tiny distance scale called the Planck scale (10-33 cm), it is argued that the zero point fluctuations must cease at a corresponding Planck frequency (10-43 Hz). If that is the case, the zero-point energy density would be 110 orders of magnitude greater than the radiant energy at the center of the Sun. ”
http://www.calphysics.org/zpe.html
“According to NASA, “the concept of accessing a significant amount of useful energy from the ZPE gained much credibility when a major article on this topic was recently [March 1st, 2004] published in Aviation Week & Space Technology, a leading aerospace industry magazine”.[11]
The calculation that underlies the Casimir experiment, a calculation based on the formula predicting infinite vacuum energy, shows the zero-point energy of a system consisting of a vacuum between two plates will decrease at a finite rate as the two plates are drawn together. The vacuum energies are predicted to be infinite, but the changes are predicted to be finite. Casimir combined the projected rate of change in zero-point energy with the principle of conservation of energy to predict a force on the plates. The predicted force, which is very small and was experimentally measured to be within 5% of its predicted value, is finite.[12] Even though the zero-point energy is theoretically infinite, there is as yet no practical evidence to suggest that infinite amounts of zero-point energy are available for use, that zero-point energy can be withdrawn for free, or that zero-point energy can be used in violation of conservation of energy.[13]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-point_energy
http://www.greenearth4energy.com/zero_point_energy.html
Over-unity hydrosonic pump….
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=478A91FoBW4&feature=related
Mary asks…
Should we add nuclear power to the Waxman climate bill now being marked up by congress?
Nuclear means clean, sustainable energy but it comes with its own set of problems. However, if we are ever going to switch our transportation from oil to more electric (plug in electric or hydrogen for example) won’t we need a lot of electricity? As an aside, to make hydrogen, the process most readily available is to split H20 molecules via techniques which require electricity.
admin answers:
Waxman is an imbecile. When asked what was in his bill, he was clueless. When you have the government running industry, it will get politicized and shortages and cost will increase. Waxman is a political hack of the worst kind. We should add nuclear but people like Waxman, trial lawyers, Jane Fonda, and environmental wackos have ensured that won’t happen.
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