๐ #flowers #arrangement #FloralFoam #change
(Graphics and images โ Vecteezy.com Pro Licence)
Category: February
{P}rescriptions for a sustainable future โ Rx 3 โ 2023
โถ๏ธ Born again. Mine shafts repurposed for energy
Mines get abandoned when they cease to be viable. They languish, often as ugly scars on the landscape.
Gravity is the only force that will surely exist until the end of the cosmos.
An organisation with the impressive name ofย The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)ย has proposed using a technique calledย Underground Gravity Energy Storageย (UGES)ย for making abandoned mines work again to produce energy.
Stay with me while I walk you through the process.
You drop sand down the mine shaft in some sort of container anchored, I presume, by cables to axles on the surface. Much like in old wells, the axles spin as the container drops into the abyss. Connect it to a generator, and, hey, you get electricity.
Like “pumped hydroelectric” technology, they propose storing the sand in the depths of the pits and, when power is cheap, hauling it back up to the surface for the next drop.
โย Hold it right there
This is where the project sounds squirrelly to me. It looks like you can’t just leave the sand down in the hole and keep throwing in more. The sand at the bottom of the mine shaft is stored and acts as “the battery” for later use. Wait a minute! I always thought there was something called the Laws of Thermodynamics which are as unbreakable as gravity. The net gain in energy can’t be very good, IMO.
These guys are a serious organisation. Theirย websiteย is loaded with projects and ideas.
Onwards!
โก๏ธ Abracadabra! Protein from air … and microbes
Protein from the air? It sounds too good to be true!
“Lab meat” is the buzzword of all efforts at “having your cake and eating it too.” It seems that there is far too much energy and a lack of humane spirit in consuming animal meat as a protein source.
Singapore regulators have authorised a product called “Solein.” It’s a microbe powder that could well spark a dietary revolution in the chase for meat replacements.
Soleinย includes protein, dietary fibre, fat, and minerals, as well as iron, vitamins, and other micronutrients. It is intended to serve as a base for meat substitutes, milk, soy, or lentils. It is the world’s most sustainable protein, composed of air, bacteria, and solar energy.
Cheers! The inventors of this powder state that it is a fermentation process, just like making wine or beer. I’ll drink to that! The inventors claim:
- The method is 20 times more efficient than photosynthesis, which plants use to turn energy into food.
- It uses only a tiny amount of water as compared to meat from livestock.
Solein, which is slated to be introduced by Solar Foods in plant-based meat, bread, pasta, and other food items, will give a wide range of advantages but will not alter the taste of the meal in any way.
The first Solein facility is under construction in Vantaa, Finland, with commercial production set to begin next year.
๐ โถ๏ธ Read more here.
๐ #climatechange #energy #mines #repurposing #protein #labmeat #creativity #strategy #sustainability #renewability
In the infinity of the cosmos, our Earth might well be the only place where Life exists. Yet, we have devastated this miracle and are now poised at the edge of a frightening abyss of desolation. Every one of us needs to act, and act fast. The key word to continuing to enjoy the bounty of Life is โsustainability.โ The Earth, as Mahatma Gandhi remarked, can satisfy all our needs but very little of our greed. This is an ongoing series of articles focusing on the issues of renewability and sustainability.
(Graphics and images โ Vecteezy.com Pro Licence)
{P}rescriptions for a sustainable future – Rx 2 – 2023
CONTENTS
About this series (click to read)
โก๏ธย “Banning straws might be good for the planet โ but bad for people with disability or swallowing problems. What is ‘eco-ableism’?“
โก๏ธ“We donโt need โmiracleโ technologies to fix the climate. We have the tools now.”
โก๏ธย “How green roofs can help cities” (YouTube video)
(Click on the title to go to the article. As you scroll down, an arrow will appear on the right, bottom corner. Click on it to return to the top.)
“Banning straws might be good for the planet โ but bad for people with disability or swallowing problems. What is ‘eco-ableism’?”
Kate Anderson | The Conversation
๐๐ธ๐๐ผ ๐ธ๐๐ธ๐๐
โ
Many states ban single-use plastics, including straws. While this is a win for the environment, it comes at a price for social inclusion, as many people with disability rely on plastic straws to safely enjoy drinks.
โ
Sustainable alternatives are available, but these are often unsafe or unusable for consumers with complex medical needs. This is an example of eco-ableism, which occurs when environmental policy, design, or campaigns discriminate against people with disability.
โ
An inclusive approach to sustainability is the best way to protect fundamental human rights and the environment, and research shows it is also good for business.
โถ๏ธ๐ Read the article
๐ย #disability #straws #change #creativity #wellness #P4life #sustainability
“We donโt need โmiracleโ technologies to fix the climate. We have the tools now.”
Mark Z Jacobson | The Guardian
๐๐ธ๐๐ผ ๐ธ๐๐ธ๐๐
โ
ย We don’t need “miracle” technology to address the climate. We already have access to the resources that will enable us to do so, such as wind, water, and solar (WWS) energy, storage for electricity, heat storage, cold storage, hydrogen storage, and energy-efficient electrical products.
โ
ย With a $62 trillion initial capital investment, a 2050 WWS system would pay for itself in less than six years thanks to the $11 trillion in annual energy cost reductions.
โ
ย In addition, around forty percent of the carbon dioxide that is caught today is utilised to facilitate the extraction of further oil from the earth. This results in the release of approximately seventy-three percent of all of the carbon dioxide that is currently being captured.
โ
ย The climate catastrophe may be mitigated if enough people buy into the idea of change and government leaders are committed to action.
โถ๏ธ๐ Read the article
๐ย #ClimateChange #technology #skills #strategy #wellness #sustainability
“How green roofs can help cities”
NPR | via YouTube
๐๐ธ๐๐ผ ๐ธ๐๐ธ๐๐
โ Urbanisation leads to loss of green cover. Here’s an innovative approach to countering this loss.
๐ย #ClimateChange #urbanisation #roof #garden #greening #change #creativity #inspiration #strategy #sustainabilityย
In the infinity of the cosmos, our Earth might well be the only place where Life exists. Yet, we have devastated this miracle and are now poised at the edge of a frightening abyss of desolation. Every one of us needs to act, and act fast. The key word to continuing to enjoy the bounty of Life is “sustainability.” The Earth, as Mahatma Gandhi remarked, can satisfy all our needs but very little of our greed. This is an ongoing series of articles focusing on the issues of renewability and sustainability.
(Graphics and images – Vecteezy.com Pro Licence)
{P}rescriptions for a sustainable future – Rx 1 – 2023
CONTENTS
About this series (click to read)
โก๏ธย “The limits of renewable energy and the case for degrowth”
โก๏ธย “Forget Tesla and electric cars. E-bikes are the future of transportation.”
(Click on the title to go to the article. As you scroll down, an arrow will appear on the right, bottom corner. Click on it to return to the top.)
“๐๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ก”
Philip Gauthier | Resilience.org
๐๐ธ๐๐ผ ๐ธ๐๐ธ๐๐
โ
The move to a cleaner energy source is sometimes portrayed as rapid and simple.
โ
ย In reality, the combined proportion of solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind, tidal, and geothermal energy is still relatively modest.
โ
ย The energy transition has been hampered by five main factors: resources, intermittency, non-substitutability, money, and space. These challenges highlight the limitations of established wisdom and the impossibility of unending growth.
โ
ย Successful energy transition requires a shift in consumer preferences and lifestyles. Though degrowth presents additional challenges, it offers the best chance of achieving our goals without triggering a global climate crisis or worsening social inequalities.
โถ๏ธ๐ Read the article
๐ #growth #capitalism #consumerism #lifestyles #change #criticalthinking #strategy #sustainability
“๐
๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ. ๐-๐๐ข๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.”
Tony Ho Tran | Daily Beast
๐๐ธ๐๐ผ ๐ธ๐๐ธ๐๐
โ
ย E-bike advocates are hugely hopeful for the future of e-bikes as a viable alternative to cars.
โ
ย However, there are still obstacles to overcome, such as the car-centric infrastructure of many cities.
โ
ย Despite challenges, e-bikes are becoming increasingly popular and are seen as a viable option for reducing car usage and emissions. With the right incentives and infrastructure, e-bikes could revolutionize the way we get around.
โถ๏ธ๐ Read the article
๐ #e-bike #transportation #change #strategy #wellness #sustainability
In the infinity of the cosmos, our Earth might well be the only place where Life exists. Yet, we have devastated this miracle and are now poised at the edge of a frightening abyss of desolation. Every one of us needs to act, and act fast. The key word to continuing to enjoy the bounty of Life is “sustainability.” The Earth, as Mahatma Gandhi remarked, can satisfy all our needs but very little of our greed. This is an ongoing series of articles focusing on the issues of renewability and sustainability.
(Graphics and images – Vecteezy.com Pro Licence)