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icefest

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #100 on: June 03, 2014, 09:49:41 AM »
I wondered this too, but it definitely is carbon negative the way I see it:

Its full production method has been rated as overall carbon negative, the fact it currently uses waste GHG from some other process (which in the future could be a renewable source) simply means it is reducing that other processes emissions.

It's not adding any, and it's lowering somebody else's. Definitely carbon negative no?

If later the waste GHG come from a renewable source then that'll make both net negative.

That's true, but not quite what I meant.

I think I might've used the wrong term.

To me, a carbon negative process moves net carbon from a short term carbon sink to a longer term carbon sink.  Carbon positive is moving to a short term sink.

If the source is from a avoidable source (eg coal power plant) then there is still a net movement positive effect.
If the source is an unavoidable source (eg existing landfill decomposition) then it's a net negative effect.

In effect, if this process piggybacks on FF (or any other source with a mean sequestration period of greater than the biodegradation time + invested carbon from manufacturing of the plastic) then I wouldn't call it carbon neutral but rather say it lowers carbon intensity.
Open other end.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #101 on: June 11, 2014, 01:29:40 PM »
For those who can still see an amazing future:  scientists, discussing warp drive!  With some familiar-looking ship concepts.   :D

http://io9.com/heres-nasas-new-design-for-a-warp-drive-ship-1588948192?
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Shared Humanity

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #102 on: June 11, 2014, 03:58:29 PM »
For those who can still see an amazing future:  scientists, discussing warp drive!  With some familiar-looking ship concepts.   :D

http://io9.com/heres-nasas-new-design-for-a-warp-drive-ship-1588948192?

Hope this is sarcasm. If the technology is deployed in our future, it will be used to transport the most wealthy and powerful from a dying planet.  :o

Anne

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #103 on: June 11, 2014, 04:03:04 PM »
For those who can still see an amazing future:  scientists, discussing warp drive!  With some familiar-looking ship concepts.   :D

http://io9.com/heres-nasas-new-design-for-a-warp-drive-ship-1588948192?

Hope this is sarcasm. If the technology is deployed in our future, it will be used to transport the most wealthy and powerful from a dying planet.  :o
Because we really need them here? Because they've done such a terrific job for us all?  :-\

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #104 on: June 13, 2014, 02:08:35 AM »
For those who can still see an amazing future:  scientists, discussing warp drive!  With some familiar-looking ship concepts.   :D

http://io9.com/heres-nasas-new-design-for-a-warp-drive-ship-1588948192?

Hope this is sarcasm. If the technology is deployed in our future, it will be used to transport the most wealthy and powerful from a dying planet.  :o

Oh, ye of little faith (or vision)!  :P  By the time we progress to the point of creating warp drive, we will have also progressed beyond the unsustainable wealth/poverty world crisis we have today.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #105 on: June 13, 2014, 03:51:16 AM »
Or... The ship becomes our equivalent of the Golgafrincham "B" Ark.  ;-)

http://hitchhikers.wikia.com/wiki/Golgafrincham
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #106 on: June 13, 2014, 09:30:35 PM »
Will 22nd century "fracking" be for: water?

"After decades of searching scientists have discovered that a vast reservoir of water, enough to fill the Earth’s oceans three times over, may be trapped hundreds of miles beneath the surface, potentially transforming our understanding of how the planet was formed"

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jun/13/earth-may-have-underground-ocean-three-times-that-on-surface
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #107 on: June 15, 2014, 07:36:05 PM »
There are six people living in space right now. None of them seem particularly wealthy or powerful.

http://howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #108 on: June 18, 2014, 05:30:22 PM »
Bitty Foods is a thriving start-up company making treats from cricket flour.

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/art-of-the-startup/crickets-food-future-n134016

Their website:  http://bittyfoods.com/
« Last Edit: June 18, 2014, 05:35:45 PM by Sigmetnow »
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #109 on: June 22, 2014, 03:04:44 AM »
Buildings of the future need not be sterile steel monoliths.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/06/18/3449440/wood-skyscrapers-sustainable-building/
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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #110 on: June 26, 2014, 02:00:06 PM »

Lynn Shwadchuck

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #111 on: June 29, 2014, 07:18:53 PM »
Interesting article found through zero hedge, http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/jun/19/open-source-revolution-conquer-one-percent-cia-spy

I looked this up, because it sounded interesting. But now, not so much.

Goodreads reviewer:
Hans de Zwart
Jun 11, 2013 Hans de Zwart rated it 1 of 5 stars
"Steele is the number one reviewer of non-fiction books on Amazon (more likely in the quantity of his reviews than in the quality of them). Think about the type of person who does that and then imagine them writing a book that tries to relate all of the concepts in those books to one another. You will get this very confused book.

"There is nothing wrong with Steele's intent: he wants a better world. But I can't say he has thought deeply about what it means to open source everything. For one, he didn't even think of open sourcing his own text. He has already lost me there.

"The one thing I found slightly interesting were his thoughts on the secret services in the US. Rather than being focused on intelligence as decision support, these services think that their business is secrecy. As soon as things aren't secret anymore they won't look at it any longer. I also hadn't realized that the US agencies had so little information about the third world. Seeing how many factual mistakes Steele has made about the things that I know something about makes me wonder whether any of this information (on things I know less about) is as incorrect.

"Don't waste your time on this book: There are much better books to read."
Still living in the bush in eastern Ontario. Gave up on growing annual veggies. Too much drought.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #112 on: July 06, 2014, 09:27:12 PM »
Quote
Seven good reasons to be an "apocaloptimist"
The climate clock is still ticking – yet there are incredible opportunities to make things better
...
But why be upbeat when it is so easy for others to mock, as the contrary facts tower over you? ... Here’s seven reasons to be an apocaloptimist:

- I tried being miserable and expecting the worst about big world problems (nuclear devastation, acid rain etc) as a teenager and it just made me miserable and expect the worst.
- It made everyone around me miserable too.
- Being defeatist makes it harder to get off your arse to do something that might actually change things and bring about a better outcome. Doing something also makes you feel better (there’s good research on this) and hence likely to do more, creating a positive cycle. Win, win.
- At the same time, I want to stare the challenge in the face, such as global carbon emissions hitting a record high. Being in denial of the facts would be like walking backwards down a motorway, against the flow of traffic, and that would make me nervous.
- To ignore the facts would also mean never considering answers big enough for the size of the problem and so not even looking to see if they existed – which would be a shame if they do (I think they do) as we’re talking about preserving a climate fit for civilisation.
- Being positive about the possibility of overcoming seemingly insuperable odds has history on its side: abolition, suffrage, civil rights, ozone depletion, universal healthcare (surprises are everywhere, in spite of all you read to the contrary. For example, the NHS is, objectively, the world’s best health system). And, regardless, you really never know how big, complex problems are going to work out.
- Staying in bed too long contemplating the potential pointlessness of it all gives me a headache. Being positive, yet aware of just how precarious things are, feels realistic, open and an important acknowledgement that I’m fortunate to be able to act. It also gets me out of bed in the morning to make a cup of tea, and I like tea. And, I can’t think of a better way to be alive in the world than trying to solve the great challenges of the age.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/01/seven-good-reasons-to-be-an-apocaloptimist
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #113 on: July 08, 2014, 02:21:47 PM »
Cross-posting this from the FOOD thread, given the previous discussion here....

Future Food: How Scientists And Startups Are Changing The Way We Eat
6 minute video.
http://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-and-startups-changing-how-we-eat-2014-7
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #114 on: July 08, 2014, 09:11:48 PM »
3D food printers are creating meals of soft, easily-swallowed foods for elderly German folks.  Great photos:
http://munchies.vice.com/articles/german-old-folks-homes-are-serving-3-d-printed-food/

As new users experiment with printers at home using "Cheese Whiz, Nutella and frosting," foods created by printers have already hit shelves. "A lot of people don't know this, but all the microwave pancakes available in supermarkets in the Netherlands are printed...."
http://www.popularmechanics.com/3d-printer-news/will-3d-printers-manufacture-your-meals-15265101
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #115 on: September 14, 2014, 10:18:17 PM »
A 3-D printer that also recycles plastic.  This has the potential to reduce the need for manufacturing.

"The ability to 3D print objects of all shapes, and many sizes, has enabled individuals to take at least some control of their lives away from the large manufacturers and corporations out there. We can now become the makers of what we consumer. 3D printing has been touted as a way to cut back on waste."

http://3dprint.com/15103/3d-re-printer/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #116 on: September 15, 2014, 09:54:22 PM »
In case you were wondering:  "Crops grow on fake Moon and Mars Soil"

http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/crops-grow-fake-moon-and-mars-soil?src=SOC&dom=tw
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #117 on: October 02, 2014, 03:54:06 AM »
Here's what Elon Musk is planning for our future:  a million people on Mars. 

Quote
‘I think there is a strong humanitarian argument for making life multi-planetary,’ he told me, ‘in order to safeguard the existence of humanity in the event that something catastrophic were to happen, in which case being poor or having a disease would be irrelevant, because humanity would be extinct. It would be like, “Good news, the problems of poverty and disease have been solved, but the bad news is there aren’t any humans left.”’
...
Musk told me this first group of settlers will need to pay their own way. ‘There needs to be an intersection of the set of people who wish to go, and the set of people who can afford to go,’ he said. ‘And that intersection of sets has to be enough to establish a self-sustaining civilisation. My rough guess is that for a half-million dollars, there are enough people that could afford to go and would want to go. But it’s not going to be a vacation jaunt. It’s going to be saving up all your money and selling all your stuff, like when people moved to the early American colonies.’
http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/the-elon-musk-interview-on-mars
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #118 on: October 08, 2014, 01:59:25 PM »
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #119 on: October 11, 2014, 03:32:27 AM »
The Tesla reveal: Dual-Motor Model S, and "Autopilot"

Quote
Model S will be able to steer to stay within a lane, change lanes with the simple tap of a turn signal, and manage speed by reading road signs and using active, traffic aware cruise control.
...
The Autopilot hardware opens up some exciting long term possibilities. Imagine having your car check your calendar in the morning (a feature introduced in Software v6.0), calculate travel time to your first appointment based on real time traffic data, automatically open the garage door with Homelink, carefully back out of a tight garage, and pull up to your door ready for your commute. Of course, it could also warm or cool your car to your preferences and select your favorite morning news stream.
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/dual-motor-model-s-and-autopilot

Also:
October 9, 2014 tweet from Elon Musk:  ”Just got word that the cumulative miles of the worldwide Tesla fleet passed half a billion!”
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Bob Wallace

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #120 on: October 11, 2014, 04:22:33 AM »
Plus the D does 0-60 in 3.2 seconds.  Which puts a four door sedan into super-car territory.

Half a billion is great.  Volts are now over one billion, over 60% on electricity.  We're cutting back some on oil use.  More to come.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #121 on: October 11, 2014, 06:36:05 PM »
Video of the launch of Tesla's Dual Motor Model S and Autopilot.
Elon Musk says you'll select from three modes: Normal, Sport, and Insane.

https://t.co/obYBvxLeR4

Remember when "electric car" meant slow, and low-powered?
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Bob Wallace

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #122 on: October 12, 2014, 05:18:29 AM »
If we avoid severe climate change I think we'll look back at Elon as one of the people that should go on the Climate Change Halt Mount Rushmore. 

Elon and Al are my two current candidates.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #123 on: November 07, 2014, 12:42:35 AM »
A 3D food printer to be mass-produced next year.
Quote
The "Foodini," as it's called, isn't too different from a regular 3D printer, but instead of printing with plastics, it deploys edible ingredients squeezed out of stainless steel capsules: "It's the same technology," says Lynette Kucsma, co-founder of Natural Machines, "but with plastics there's just one melting point, whereas with food it's different temperatures, consistencies and textures. Also, gravity works a little bit against us, as food doesn't hold the shape as well as plastic."

At the Web Summit technology conference in Dublin, the Barcelona-based startup is showing off the machine, which it says is the only one of its kind capable of printing a wide range of dishes, from sweet to savoury.
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/11/06/tech/innovation/foodini-machine-print-food/index.html
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #124 on: November 25, 2014, 05:09:39 PM »
Clean Tech 2.0:  energy efficiecy takes off with products that weren't possible a few years ago.  This article dicusses a few.

Quote
The iPhone, an ingredient that is obviously integral to Comfy’s existence, was first released in June of 2007, at the tail end of CleanTech 1.0. Unless the financiers making those early bets harnessed the powers of Nostradamus, it was impossible for them to foresee the profound impact that smartphones and mobile computing would have on the economy.

That trend was on display at the CleanTech forum, where entrepreneurs nodded vigorously at Zoi’s observation that these devices enable us to walk around, “with a computer in our pocket that is more powerful than what NASA used to put a man on the moon in 1969.” The logistical and IT capabilities unleashed by these developments, by the unbelievable amount of data they capture and communicate, and by the ease of interactivity that they facilitate, is the foundation upon which much of CleanTech 2.0 is constructed.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/11/24/3596235/clean-tech-2-point-oh/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #125 on: November 26, 2014, 04:30:21 AM »
Imagine the savings in industrial energy, material, inventory and transportation required when your local "store" creates items on demand, rather than ordering and stocking supplies.  And not just nuts and bolts -- SpaceX ”3-D prints" its rocket engines!
Quote
"It's not only the first part printed in space, it's really the first object truly manufactured off planet Earth," Kemmer said. "Where there was not an object before, we essentially 'teleported' an object by sending the bits and having it made on the printer. It's a big milestone, not only for NASA and Made In Space, but for humanity as a whole."
www.nbcnews.com/science/space/first-3-d-printer-space-makes-its-first-object-spare-n255516
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Neven

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #126 on: November 26, 2014, 11:16:17 AM »
Quote
That trend was on display at the CleanTech forum, where entrepreneurs nodded vigorously at Zoi’s observation that these devices enable us to walk around, “with a computer in our pocket that is more powerful than what NASA used to put a man on the moon in 1969.”

Yeah, but they used it to put a man on the moon. We're just walking around with it in our pocket.  ;) ;D
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #127 on: November 26, 2014, 02:15:59 PM »
Quote
That trend was on display at the CleanTech forum, where entrepreneurs nodded vigorously at Zoi’s observation that these devices enable us to walk around, “with a computer in our pocket that is more powerful than what NASA used to put a man on the moon in 1969.”

Yeah, but they used it to put a man on the moon. We're just walking around with it in our pocket.  ;) ;D
One of the opinions in this article on Artificial Intelligence suggests that many of us (well, kids, anyway) are already cyborgs, given how attached we are to our smartphones.   :P
http://edge.org/conversation/the-myth-of-ai
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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #128 on: November 26, 2014, 07:46:43 PM »
What smart phones need is collision avoidance systems and self-parking.

I'm so tired of dodging people who have their faces planted in their phones and people stopping their carts in the middle of the aisle at the grocery to answer a call.

I even had someone stop their car in the middle of an intersection to answer a call.  They stopped in the middle of a turn, blocking both lanes and the side streets for well over 30 seconds before snapping to and realizing what they'd done.

And - You kids, get off my lawn!!!

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #129 on: December 01, 2014, 12:50:15 AM »
The future of air travel?

3-D printed jet engines with composite turbine blades -- and an electric jet concept waiting on the next generation of batteries.  Interesting point: a battery-powered plane will not change its weight during flight due to fuel burn -- and no fuel tanks means wings can be super-efficient.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/31/travel/future-of-travel-jet-engines/index.html
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #130 on: December 01, 2014, 01:45:06 AM »
This is a bit further into the future than most of these posts, but if you read this thread because you believe in space travel, you will want to watch this video. 
We are wanderers.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/11/29/wanderers_video_of_our_future_in_space_exploration.html
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #131 on: December 04, 2014, 02:40:53 AM »
Looks startlingly like those "futuristic" city-scape concepts....

London’s Garden Bridge Approved by Westminster Borough
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-02/london-s-garden-bridge-approved-by-westminster-borough.html
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #132 on: December 05, 2014, 08:41:34 PM »
But would it affect local weather?

New paper in Nature documents a novel halfnium coating (seven layers of silicon dioxide and hafnium oxide on top of a thin layer of silver) which reflects infrared energy at the precise frequency to radiate it into space without it being trapped by greenhouse gases.  It also "wicks" heat out of buildings, for an additional cooling effect.

Clean Technica article:
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/12/04/new-coating-beams-global-warming-heat-into-space/

Stanford write-up:
http://news.stanford.edu/pr/2014/pr-radiative-cooling-mirror-112614.html
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #133 on: December 06, 2014, 02:19:31 AM »
Clean energy can get us to space.

@AstroKatie: Orion's Delta IV Heavy rockets run on combining hydrogen & oxygen. That huge fire makes water http://t.co/WBeIgYb2jL http://t.co/SrND189u0V
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Bob Wallace

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #134 on: December 06, 2014, 06:02:43 AM »
But would it affect local weather?

New paper in Nature documents a novel halfnium coating (seven layers of silicon dioxide and hafnium oxide on top of a thin layer of silver) which reflects infrared energy at the precise frequency to radiate it into space without it being trapped by greenhouse gases.  It also "wicks" heat out of buildings, for an additional cooling effect.

Clean Technica article:
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/12/04/new-coating-beams-global-warming-heat-into-space/

Stanford write-up:
http://news.stanford.edu/pr/2014/pr-radiative-cooling-mirror-112614.html

A possible tool to use if we fail to get carbon under control soon enough.  Artificial super-albedo.  Better than roasting....

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #135 on: December 25, 2014, 06:26:00 PM »
CNN takes technology available today and imagines 2030.  Slideshow.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/29/tech/gallery/city-life-in-2030/
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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #136 on: December 25, 2014, 06:36:11 PM »
But would it affect local weather?

New paper in Nature documents a novel halfnium coating (seven layers of silicon dioxide and hafnium oxide on top of a thin layer of silver) which reflects infrared energy at the precise frequency to radiate it into space without it being trapped by greenhouse gases.  It also "wicks" heat out of buildings, for an additional cooling effect.

Clean Technica article:
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/12/04/new-coating-beams-global-warming-heat-into-space/

Stanford write-up:
http://news.stanford.edu/pr/2014/pr-radiative-cooling-mirror-112614.html

A possible tool to use if we fail to get carbon under control soon enough.  Artificial super-albedo.  Better than roasting....

Agreed. Any mitigation is better than none, even if we're likely to fail on the 450/2C target.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #137 on: January 06, 2015, 01:50:08 PM »
Elon Musk did a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" session last night.  (Yes, just 12 hours before a scheduled Dragon rocket launch!).  A hilarious read.
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA

[P.S.:  launch scrubbed, next attempt Friday at 5:09 AM Eastern US time.]
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Laurent

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #138 on: January 06, 2015, 05:46:30 PM »
Cost-Effective Solutions to the Climate Crisis Await - It's Time to Stop Waffling
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-moyer-phd/costeffective-solutions-t_b_6414052.html?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #139 on: January 09, 2015, 04:05:56 AM »
@BilldeBlasio: Proud to announce that, starting July 1, 2015, we're banning single-use styrofoam products in New York City: http://t.co/eWRLOkXXUO
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #140 on: January 09, 2015, 08:49:41 PM »
In their latest video thanking their $10 donors, the Solar Roadways folks show how individual panels have melted the snow and ice where they are sitting.  That's a fair amount of snow!  (Scott mentions they got 2 feet of the stuff.)

Here's their Facebook post:
https://www.facebook.com/solarroadways/posts/10152456948162126

If you are Facebook-intolerant, here's the video on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DeABlwlTMtU&feature=youtu.be


They have found work space and hired engineers.  Per their web site, they are still shooting for Spring 2015 for their first installations.
http://www.solarroadways.com/people.shtml
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #141 on: January 12, 2015, 03:01:48 AM »
The world's top artificial intelligence developers sign an open letter calling for AI safety research.
Will our future robot overlords be beneficent, or :o ?

Quote
The establishment of shared theoretical frameworks, combined with the availability of data and processing power, has yielded remarkable successes in various component tasks such as speech recognition, image classification, autonomous vehicles, machine translation, legged locomotion, and question-answering systems.
...
There is now a broad consensus that AI research is progressing steadily, and that its impact on society is likely to increase. The potential benefits are huge, since everything that civilization has to offer is a product of human intelligence; we cannot predict what we might achieve when this intelligence is magnified by the tools AI may provide, but the eradication of disease and poverty are not unfathomable.
...
We recommend expanded research aimed at ensuring that increasingly capable AI systems are robust and beneficial: our AI systems must do what we want them to do. ...
Lengthy list of signers is below the letter's text:
http://futureoflife.org/misc/open_letter
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #142 on: January 14, 2015, 04:31:32 AM »
Would you live in this house?

This Zero-Emission Home Creates Enough Energy To Power An Electric Car For One Year
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6439476
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Neven

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #143 on: January 14, 2015, 08:09:16 AM »
Would you live in this house?

This Zero-Emission Home Creates Enough Energy To Power An Electric Car For One Year
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6439476

Looks a bit too luxurious and high-tech to my taste, but aesthetically very spectacular. Like the Tesla S in a way. I'd like to see the trimmed down version, with all the excess cut off to reduce energy consumption even more (also during the building process). But I know, then it would look too ascetic and people won't be seduced  by it.

More info on that Norwegian home here:



PS I don't know whether that slope for the roof is ideal wrt to the solar panels. Doesn't the Sun sit lower in the sky in northern latitudes (especially during winter), and wouldn't it therefore make more sense to have a more vertical roof? Our roof for instance is 37°, and we're in central Europe (I believe at 47 degrees latitude), and compared to a roof in our village at 28°, our system is producing so much more electricity, especially during winter.

A more vertical roof is also better with regards to snow. When snow melts and falls off, our roof starts producing 3 days earlier than the roof at 28°.

Oh well. Maybe I should ask the architect.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2015, 08:15:38 AM by Neven »
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #144 on: January 18, 2015, 12:10:21 AM »
Apparently the best angle depends on (your location and) the time of year you want the most energy generated -- unless you can change the tilt of your system as needed.

http://solarelectricityhandbook.com/solar-angle-calculator.html

http://www.mpptsolar.com/en/best-angle-for-solar-panels.html
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Neven

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #145 on: January 18, 2015, 08:44:19 AM »
According to that first calculator these are the optimal angles for the latitude of the location of the ZEB house:

Jan    75°
Feb    67°
Mar    59°
Apr    51°
May    43°
Jun   36°
Jul    43°
Aug    51°
Sep    59°
Oct    67°
Nov    75°
Dec  82°

I quickly re-calculated this, so may have made a mistake, but with a roof tilt of just 19° you're producing a lot less energy than you could have, even during summer.  According to this calculator the optimal inclination is 46° for this latitude. That's quite a big difference, IMO.

I find this acceptable for an existing structure, but not if you have the possibility to design for optimal energy production. Because this means you'll need less solar panels, and that means reduced consumption of resources.  You also don't have to dig energy wells and use all kinds of other high-tech stuff that can break.

So basically this house is oversized (just like Tesla cars), because to appeal to the potential customer and also to allow the engineer/architect to roam freely on a creative level, function must always follow form. And as we all know, sustainability is mostly a part of function.
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Laurent

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #146 on: January 18, 2015, 01:40:10 PM »
If I had to design a small panel for me, I would try to get maximum efficience for winter, end of automn, beginning of spring. There is enough energy the rest of the time so clearly 19° is not a good design (for me).
« Last Edit: January 19, 2015, 08:19:00 AM by Laurent »

sidd

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #147 on: January 18, 2015, 09:13:19 PM »
I know of a farm which runs a 4000 sq. foot multilevel greenhouse (with carp ponds below the plant trays!) entirely heated by less than a dozen solar hot water panels, feeding an insulated 2000 gallon tank heating the concrete slab. All panels are mounted vertically facing south (snow ... ) and yet the problem is one of dumping excess heat ...

He chose to oversize the panel array and eat the loss in efficiency from vertical mount, but his costs of install were still trivial compared to the savings in energy.

solar hot water is a no brainer.

sidd
« Last Edit: January 19, 2015, 04:28:52 AM by sidd »

Laurent

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #148 on: January 20, 2015, 10:27:45 AM »
You'll Never Meet the Goals That You Don't Set
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-crane/meet-your-goals_b_6249718.html?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green

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That is what we need now. We need "sustainability" to be elevated everywhere in corporate America, to sit alongside safety, in that fine place where economic viability gives way to moral necessity.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Better Tomorrows
« Reply #149 on: January 20, 2015, 04:44:41 PM »
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.