Note To BP: This Is How To Harness The Oceans Energy Without Screwing Up The Whole Dang Planet!

“Minesto” means tide and dragon in Greek. Formed in 2007, Minesto is based both in Sweden and the U.K., and has invented a new type of tidal power generator they call “underwater kites”, that remains submerged and tied to the seabed by a 328 foot (100 meter) cable, harnessing energy from the motion of the ocean. (more…)

Smart Water

A standalone desalinator needs 17 gallons of diesel fuel and 66.5 kilowatts of
electricity to make 1,000 gallons of freshwater, but now, the Solar Cube, (made
by Spectra Watermakers in California), churns out 1,500 gallons of drinking water
on just 22 kilowatts of its own solar and wind power. The innovation is a pump
that triples efficiency by recapturing hydraulic pressure during the filtering
process. Solar Cubes are now bringing freshwater to remote regions and places
short on infrastructure and electricity without paying the CO2 price – way cool. (more…)

Now here is something that can be used today and not spend a kaboodle of
money to get it implemented!

GreenSmith launches Backup Battery for Grid

December 5, 2008 – Exclusive By Emma Ritch, Cleantech Group
Washington D.C.-based GreenSmith Energy Management Systems unveiled technology it says
can solve the peak demand problems of U.S. utilities.

CEO Rodney Smith said the company has designed a battery control and management system
that, when paired with lithium ion battery GreenSmith acquired from a manufacturer
overseas, can store 20 kilowatt-hours at a time and provide between 3,000 and 4,000
full-discharge cycles.

The idea is that utilities could charge the battery when it’s cheaper to produce energy,
such as in the middle of the night, and could discharge that energy onto the grid when
it’s most expensive to produce power. (more…)

Looks like T. Boone and Walmart are in the lets make a deal phase.  Walmart
has announced it would buy 15 percent of the electricity for its Texas
facilities from Duke Energy wind farm.  That 15 percent equates to 226
million kilowatt hours or 18,000 homes could be powered for a year.

Walmart is buying the power and accompanying renewable energy credits
beginning in April from a Duke Energy wind farm in Notrees, Texas. The power
will supply WalMart’s 360 facilities within the competitive Texas grid. (more…)

U.N. scientist say we only have 10 years to mend our ways, because if we do
not clean up our act, mother nature has some nasty surprises:

Storms – insured losses from weather events have increased 15 fold in the
last 30 years.

Floods – U.N. scientists predict 200 million climate refugees in the next
40 years.

Drought – Land stricken by severe drought has doubled in 30 years. (more…)

February 27, 2008

Primary Election Results are in. Bob Dixson and John Janssen are in a runoff
for the primary.  10 of the 15 city council positions will move on to the
primary. Carmen Renfro and Erica Goodman are in the runoff for City Council.

March 2, 2008

Studio 804 Warehouse in Lawrence, Kansas is paid a visit by the 5.4.7 Arts
Center Board to see the progress they were making on the new building. The
building is being built to LEED certification. It will have a lot of active (more…)

The first American Flag sewn by Betsy Ross was made of Hemp!

Recycled aluminum cans has saved 15 million barrels of oil per year.
This is the amount of energy it would take to manufacture new cans
had the recycled ones been tossed. (more…)