On May 10th, 2010 ExxonMobile had an oil spill in Nigeria Delta. It is somewhere around the
16th worst oil spill in [wikipedia reported] world history, at
95,000 tonnes (696,350 barrels or 214,475,800 gallons).
Nigeria's agony dwarfs the Gulf oil spill. The US and Europe ignore it. Oil spills are a regular occurrence in Nigeria, about 300 a year, it is estimated over the past 50 years about 1.5 million tons have been dumped in the Delta, equivalent to the Gulf War oil spill (the largest spill on record) or 50+ Exxon Valdez.
[more inside]
posted by stbalbach
on May 30, 2010 -
50 comments
Low-Tech Magazine and
No-Tech Magazine have some fairly well written/illustrated articles about old and low technologies. The concept being, in a sustainable future due to environmental constraints, carbon taxes, Peak Oil, etc.. these old-school technologies might be used - in some places, in some form - instead of more energy intensive modern high technology.
Trolly Canal Boats,
Timbrel Vaulting (vs. steel and concrete),
Bring Back the Horses (and
the bicycle),
Tile Stoves,
Wind Powered Factories,
Sneakernet,
more.
posted by stbalbach
on Jan 2, 2010 -
23 comments
How Africa's desert sun can bring Europe power. A £5bn solar power demonstration project called
Desertec is being developed by Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (
TREC) that would send solar energy northward from African deserts. The goal is in 30 years to provide a significant fraction of Europe's electricity needs.
posted by stbalbach
on Dec 13, 2007 -
35 comments
John Kanzius can make
salt water burn using radio waves. It is not yet practical for energy generation, more energy is consumed than produced, but increases in efficiency could make salt water a viable replacement for fossil fuel.
posted by stbalbach
on Jul 6, 2007 -
70 comments
Solar Tower (text and video). "The rays of sunlight reflected by a field of 600 huge mirrors are so intense they illuminate the water vapour and dust hanging in the air."
posted by stbalbach
on May 3, 2007 -
61 comments
The average American uses
20 pounds of coal a day. "our shiny white iPod economy is propped up by dirty black rocks.. I see more people dying of particle air pollution than are dying of AIDS." Coal accounts for nearly 40 percent of America's carbon dioxide emissions.
Big Coal by Jeff Goodell.
posted by stbalbach
on Jun 24, 2006 -
79 comments