The current news cycle links continuing coverage of the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, whose cause remains uncertain and whose solution so far elusive, with puzzlement about the cause of a recent 1,000-point plunge in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It may appear that these two traumas have nothing in common. Indeed, the havoc in [...]
Entries Tagged as ‘water’
October 1, 2009
Unintended Consequences, Part III: Electricity vs. Water
The latest installment in my compilation of the unintended consequences of new energy technologies: “clean” power projects can be giant water hogs. (Here’s part I and here’s part II.) The New York Times reported today that utility-scale solar energy projects in the sun-rich but water-poor Southwest and California are running into obstacles as project developers [...]
July 28, 2009
My Clean, Green, Sustainable Reading List
Over the last few months I’ve been reading through the literature on clean tech, energy and sustainability. In case you are looking for suggestions, I can recommend any or all of these. If you have any reactions or suggestions for further reading, please consider leaving a comment. Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global [...]
July 16, 2009
Reusable vs. Disposable Cups: Saving Money and Energy
You might think that disposable tableware–such as plates, cups and flatware–are an affront to the environment and should be avoided at all costs. But the truth is more nuanced. Image via Wikipedia To compare the environmental impact of reusables (such as glass, porcelain or reusable-plastic cups) with disposables (such as plastic, paper or polystyrene foam [...]
May 21, 2009
Unintended Consequences, Part II: Air vs. Water
I recently posted on the unintended consequences that often come along with energy technologies. An article by Forest Reinhardt in the Harvard Business Review 10 years ago presented a framework for making environmental strategy and investment decisions. It also provided another example of the unintended consequences of energy technology. In this case, technology that reduced [...]
