The "Green Reich"

There's a post at Misinterpreted.org about how Global Warming is spurring us to act, while Big Oil keeps our actions slow and steady. Apparently, the theory is that as long as we prolong the hybridization phase, and stave off total technological solutions, Big Oil will be happy. It makes more money that way, stretching the last drops of oil.

I think we should move to the cleanest technologies as fast as possible, and the only reason we're not going to the Hydrogen Fuel Cell right away is because it's not 100% ready yet. But maybe soon we can skip that whole "intentional" hybrid phase.

If Global Warming Isn't Real, At Least The Tech Is

If Global Warming turns out to be mumbo jumbo, the scientific and technological breakthroughs that are achieved as a result will still be worth it. Maybe we need motivation at this point in order to move forward, even if that motivation is built on a lie.

Just think. We could be so much further along than we are. Clean energy could be widespread, common to the point of being taken for granted. Life could be better for all of us. And yet there are things holding us back.

Could it be that Global Warming is based on a benevolent conspiracy with the ultimate goal of reforming our technological and environmental standards? Maybe there's a group out there that knows we much reach a sustainable existence, but that we'll only change things in the face of adversity.

If so, why couldn't we do things right just for the sake of it?

Hotter Air Harder To Breathe?

When it gets cold outside during winter, the air gets really dry. I sometimes enjoy that, because the air seems cleaner, and easier to breathe. So I'm wondering if excess humidity would make it harder to breathe. I think it would.

The hotter earth gets, the hotter the air gets. Since warmer air can hold more moisture, global warming could potentially make the air a lot thicker with water. So in the future, we could be breathing steam.

Since dry air is easy to breathe, wet air will probably be more difficult. I wonder how that will impact us?

They say people with problems breathing like asthma need to breathe humid air. Maybe we'll all develop asthma as a sort of coping mechanism?

Global Warming Caused By Body Heat?

Today I had the idea that what if part of the reason the earth is warmer is because there are more warm bodies running around? Six billion is a record for worldwide population, right? And in "The Matrix," the body heat from "endless fields" of people was powerful enough to power the machine society. So why not?

What if there are so many people on earth that just being alive, you're contributing to global warming? What if the true source of the problem isn't the burning of fossil fuels, but is the conversion of food energy to heat energy through our normal biological processes?

If that were the case, I'm sure we could still set things right. We'd just have to do so through new forms of research and technology.

Free Energy

In the movie "The Saint," Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue found a working method for Cold Fusion and gave the world free energy -- clean, safe, and capable of producing as much power as we could possibly need. What if we found technology like that? How would the world be different?

We'd no longer need to worry about oil. No more messing around with foreign countries and fighting wars or manipulating nations just so we can fill barrels. No more polluting on such a massive scale. No more threat of rolling blackouts.

If we had free energy, the sky would be the limit. We could build a better world, as glorious as we could possibly imagine.

I know what I want for Christmas. Free energy!

Internet Brownouts In A Few Years?

I read somewhere, it might have been Yahoo, that the current infrastructure won't provide the needed bandwidth in the future when net demand skyrockets. But won't FiOS fix things?

The article sounded like it was written just to scare people into reading it. Of course things won't work if we stop growing and do nothing. That's why we all keep moving to keep up with the times.

And even if FiOS can't handle the load, I'm sure some technological breakthrough is already in the works to bail us out.

Train As The New Plane

I've heard that people have been turning to trains as a way to avoid the problems that one encounters with airline travel and high gas prices. It makes sense.

Could low oil reserves force us to create a nationwide network of trains that all travel faster than the speed of sound?

Could we engineer a magnetic floating train car that travels through a tube surrounded by a vacuum, like a combination of a normal levitating train and the small industrial communication tubes?

Public transportation may be our saving grace, and if it is, let's hope it grows to become clean, spacious, accommodating and efficient.

Crazy Weather Nature's Way To Fix The Air?

If we pollute and pollute and pollute, and throw all kinds of dust and dirt and chemicals and greenhouse gases up in the air, will some major storms and high winds clean it all up?

Are tropical storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and the like similar to automated pool cleaners? Do they move around spontaneously for various reasons, and in addition to being destructive, do they also have the effect of cleaning up the air?

Maybe the reason the earth of 2100 is predicted to be filled with gigantic storm systems is partially because by that point, if we're using the same technology, we'll have a lot more pollution for earth's Natural Housekeeping to deal with.

Blackouts - Foreshadowing?

Recently we've had a few (weather-related?) temporary blackouts. At first I was disappointed, as I figured living in the year 2007 we should have figured out how to eliminate such events altogether. Then I thought that maybe we're continually rebuilding things that are nearly guaranteed to break. My only comfort with that thought was that at least we keep working to fix problems as they crop up.

But then I started to wonder if I'm just taking electricity for granted. If we really do run out of oil and our energy needs aren't being met, a quick blackout could be the least of our worries. We might have rolling blackouts for a few months, followed by severe power rationing. A momentary blink in electric current would be inconsequential in the face of hours and even days without any power at all.

Will this all come to pass? I hope not, but it does seem possible.

Going Green Is Finally Hip

Years ago environmentalists were shunned by the public. Scorn was heaped upon tree-hugging hippies. Global Warming was seen as ludicrous. Caring about the environment seemed unnecessary. Now, everything has changed. Going Green is the thing to do.

What happened? I think major works like those of Al Gore, the UN, and others have spurred the public to be more earth-conscious and caring. We all believe we have a responsibility to prevent a catastrophe of our own making.

Whether or not global warming is real, we are now taking steps to insure that such a threat will not be able to harm us. Better safe than sorry.

Honda Hydrogen Fuel Cell Matrix Commercial

At first I thought the ad was for hardcore Super Soakers. The music, outfits worn, setting, and action seemed to mimic scenes from "The Matrix." "Adults selling water guns? This is new." All of a sudden the ad cut away to a future car driving around running on hydrogen. "Honda: Aww yeeaahhh!!!"

I read that within 3 years, hydrogen fuel cell cars might just get put into mass production. Sure, this is just an ad. And sure, there have been ads before with big promises that never got kept, like that one for "Ultra Nintendo 64."

But I think the fact that our technology does seem to be moving forward can give us hope.

Oil: $200/Barrel Soon

It seems like "it" is really happening. Oil prices are climbing higher and higher. Eventually there could be massive gas station crowding, long lines, and long waits.

It feels like there's potential for things to smooth out, but now hearing about the rising cost of oil, it feels instead like we're in the calm before the storm.

I hope our technology advances quickly enough so that hydrogen fuel cells become standard and safe.

"More of Me," A Green Version of "Multiplicity" Starring Molly Shannon

Yesterday the movie "More of Me" was released, and today I watched it. Molly Shannon is a dyna-Mom who is granted the wish of having more versions of herself to help accomplish her hectic schedule. The difference between "More of Me" and "Multiplicity" is that in "Multiplicity," Michael Keaton got to enjoy the fruits of his clones' labor. In "More of Me," as soon as Shannon's doubles show up, she becomes essentially a ghost. Can't see her, can't hear her. And she can't interact with her husband or kids, which provides the motivation to bring things back to normal in the end.

The reason I bring this up is how environmentally concerned the film is (or seems to be). A major portion of the plot revolves around not cutting down a tree, and it's revealed that Shannon's character has raised her family with a "Green Contract" that prevents unnecessary car trips and purchases like bottled water. The daughter even brought up how car exhaust hurts polar bears.

I didn't know the movie was pretty much brand new, but now that I do it makes a lot of sense. I thought if the movie was older, it must have been way ahead of its time. I guess we can expect more environmental rhetoric slipped into our entertainment from now on. Seems ok. It might even encourage some of us to take positive action.

Warmer Winter, or Wild Weather?

From what I've heard about Global Warming, it basically entails more extremes in weather. More droughts, more flooding. More blizzards, and hurricanes. More tornadoes and tropical storms. But I was watching a news program recently and they were discussing how the warming might lessen our heating bills by providing for a warmer winter. Could there be truth to this?

From what I've experience, the weather isn't really getting warmer, it's just getting unstable. Seasonal changes seem shifted beyond their normal time frames. Extremes do happen from time to time. An average warm-up effect doesn't seem to be happening.

So what do I expect for winter? If it seems warmer, it will only be because the weather is "saving itself" for a major storm. Either that, or winter will start late and last long. Time to prepare for the "Groundhog Day" effect!

Greenhouse Emissions Were Down A Couple Years Ago

I saw on an episode of the "Colbert Report" that a few years ago, 2005 or 2006, greenhouse gas emissions were down from the previous year. Colbert attributed this to higher oil prices lowering demand for gas, and our government's hesitation to correct the aftermath of wild weather like Katrina.

To me, the fact that we got a "good" result while taking little action as a nation means that when we finally do get into full-swing with the "War on Global Warming," we'll be able to make some major progress.

Good news, I think.

SUVs and Miles Per Gallon: Brush The Facts Under The Carpet

I just saw on Yahoo news how one certain SUV won an annual award for being great at going green. After some skimming I found that the figure for MPG was between 21 and 22. I thought, "Really, that's all?" I also wondered why they hid it down in the body of the article, rather than prominently displaying it right up top.

To me, it feels like SUV technology could be improving far more than it is, and the fact that a simple article about a "very green" vehicle is slightly deceitful (in not being completely up front) about the MPG leads me to believe that some groups are trying to make excuses. "Oh, it's too hard to make these gas guzzlers more efficient, so let's pretend that it doesn't matter by just barely making mention of a fact like MPG."

We all know miles per gallon is supremely important. It's not just some useless piece of data that we can brush aside when it's too low. If anything, we need to pay more attention when it's lower than it could be, especially when a vehicle with such a low number is being celebrated for its "soft" impact on the environment.

Will We Fix Global Warming In Time?

I feel like we could all be doing more. Like we're not taking the threats of a rapidly changing environment seriously. Like we're going along at a slightly altered pace of destruction, maybe slightly slower, but still steady and strong. Why aren't we taking bigger steps to stop global warming? Why aren't we trying harder, sacrificing more?

If we truly don't believe there's anything worth fighting to prevent, then maybe we're right. Maybe global warming isn't a problem at all. But I don't believe that's the case. I think global warming is a real threat, and things are only going to get worse. I also believe that we're just getting started, and things are going to become progressively more geared towards helping our environment. The first step is to get everybody on the bandwagon, and the engines of political persuasion have seemed to come into recent usage.

On NBC last week was "Green Week," where many shows had a Patrick's Day-esque green hue, and were accompanied by "green tips" from cast members and other VIPs. Once the public is ready, and I think we are, then the bigger steps can be put into effect. Maybe I'm just getting impatient. Maybe continual change has caused me to expect things like a new iPhone or a new Segway or a new nationwide conservation policy.

I just really want us to win in this.

Former Downfall Of The Electric Car

Remember back in the 90's when an electric car seemed possible but unnecessary? Apparently there were a variety of forces at work to convince the public that the electric car was lame and unnecessary.

An episode of the Simpson's lampooned the propaganda. When the family visited a theme park, they rode in an electric car ride. The car spoke in a weak, unattractive voice, saying, "Hello. I'm an electric car. I can't go very fast, or very far..."

It makes sense that Big Oil would want to keep profits up through limiting competition from alternative fuel sources. But the fact that our environment has suffered because of it, and the fact that the U.S. is to some extent under an oil-related foreign controlling influence just makes the idea of preventing a popular electric car seem ludicrous. If we'd had and used the technology ten years ago, I wonder if the middle east would be slightly less turbulent? Would terrorism be as big a threat?

Global Warming And A One-World Currency

I've heard that potentially, all of today's problems could cause the U.S. dollar to crash, and lead politicians to lobby for a single, unified currency worldwide. This would supposedly be done to promote and ensure economic stability.

Why would the dollar crash? If global warming continues and worsens, economic disasters could put a strain on our economy. If the oceans heat up too much, the ecosystem could be fundamentally altered in a way that has widespread effects across the food chain. This would limit the amount of food available, and we'd have to work harder and put more resources to use in correcting that imbalance. With fewer resources at our overall disposal, we'd then be more vulnerable to further financial woes, which could potentially lead to a major depression. At that point, if there were no other measures in place to prevent the dollar crashing, a one-world currency could seem like a good last resort. After all, the U.S. is interacting with many other countries, and is depended upon financially in many different areas. If our economy fell apart, the world would be worse off. So any alternative to that, including a single global currency, would be seen as potentially worthwhile.

Will it come to pass? Tick, tock...

If Resources Run Low, Kiss Freedom Goodbye?

If we ever reach the point at which resources are few in number and difficult to obtain, it makes sense that the government, to prevent chaos, would strictly enforce resource allocation. We'd all get rations of energy, food, water, and supplies. At that point, we'd be truly dependent on the State for our survival. Could such a situation be manipulated to then put us to work in some fashion?

The best scenario I can imagine where we've already begun the ration process would be to put us all to work trying to fix our environment and make things more efficient. We'd be brought together working for a cause that is not only necessary and worthy, but good.

On the other hand, if things took a turn for the worse, we might end up going to thorough and complete War. A non-nuclear, dragged-out World War III? If things get bad enough...maybe.

We Could Handle A Super Comet

Today I watched a show about what could happen if a super comet hit the earth and did to us what happened with the dinosaurs. I was surprised to learn that the outlook for us isn't nearly as bleak, since many species have evolved to weather cataclysmic events.

There's a toad or some such creature in Canada that has evolved to where it can survive being frozen three quarters of a year. If we could adapt the biological processes it uses, we could cryogenically preserve humans without needing more advance technology to thaw them out.

I once heard that some people believe the U.S. government has a system of underground tunnels and bases set in place. The show presented a scenario in which going to an underground facility would have been very helpful for a lot of people. If an extinction event does occur, I wonder if it will be revealed that we really do have abundant bunker space? Or maybe it's reserved for VIPs...

Give A Hoot: Plant A Tree

I've heard that a way to combat global warming is to plant a tree. Sounds good. Trees breathe in CO2, and give off O2. So the more trees we have, the less greenhouse gas, and the less the world will heat up.

If everyone on earth planted a tree tomorrow, we'd have roughly 6 billion new trees growing, providing shade, and purifying the air. It sounds like a very good deal.

I think if the world got together for Tree Day and pretty much mandated that one tree be planted for every individual, we'd all be the better for it.

Surge Protectors vs. The "Off" Light

Last night, taking my own advice, I decided to try using a surge protector as a means of eliminating the small power trickle that goes to gadgets in the "off" position. I had a power strip already being used with a TV and PS2. I turned it off, and noticed the red light on the PS2, which is always on when the system is off, went out.

When I first saw devices that had lights on even when the devices were off, I was a little taken aback. I thought, "What's the point?" But recently, I've gotten used to it. Now, however, in the face of growing energy concerns, it seems unnecessarily wasteful to have a light reminding you that something is off, when the absence of light is just as good a reminder.

And I'm sure there are many other minor "system-is-off" functions taking up electricity that are built into the average household product. So turning off a surge protector is good, as is unplugging an unused machine.

Let the savings begin.

How To Cut Your Electric Bill Nearly In Half!

On Monday on NBC, during "Chuck," there was a "green tip" that sounded incredibly useful. The tip said, "40% of home energy is used when appliances are off."

Can you believe it?! I had read somewhere before that there is always a trickle of power, but I never realized it was that much! The tip concluded by suggesting using power strips (surge protectors) to keep all your major appliances plugged in. That way, when you're done at night, you can turn them all off.

But, you'd have to run out and but a bunch of strips, and their not very eye-appealing in abundance. And some devices need a power trickle to keep their memory of the time. Like those VCR's that you unplug and then have to reset.

So I figure you can still get the same benefit of saving around 40% of your normal energy from being wasted by just unplugging something as soon as you're done with it, as long as it doesn't need to stay plugged in for some reason.

Maybe future outlets will have a simple button you can press, like on power strips, to cut off the power flow. Until then, a motto could be, "Unplug It!"

Earth Becomes Venus, Global Warming Style

I've heard that Venus, while closer to the sun, is just like Earth, and may have even looked like Earth once. Now, however, it's a hot, barren, lava filled wasteland. CO2 abound.

What if a previous alien civilization lived there and couldn't solve global warming?

What if the present of Venus is the future of Earth if we don't get our act together?

Next stop, Mars. Quaid, activate the reactor!

Acid Rain? Where?

Has anybody ever really experienced acid rain? I've only ever seen it on T.V. It makes me think of Captain Planet and the kind of pollution that would be necessary to create it. I imagine that in a city with a big, dirty factory, acid rain might be possible. But I don't recall hearing about it in the news.

I wonder how global warming would affect acid rain? The hotter it gets, the more water can be held as moisture in the hot, humid air. So then, the more other stuff that tags along with water can be held, too.

In science class, they say when you burn yourself with acid, neutralize it with a base. Water will only dilute it, or in some circumstances make it far worse. Thank goodness acid rain's not a newsworthy issue!

The Mindset Is The Cure

I guess to be honest I've been hoping for the ubiquitous, "No more Global Warming, period" kind of "cure." But now I realize that really, our mindset must be the cure. Environmental repair is such a complex issue that there probably won't be a "Big Easy Fix." There will be a ton of small steps, and the only way to get us on that path is to have the right mentality. So caring about the environment has to be cool.

Remember a few years ago when environmentalists were bullied as lousy "Tree Huggers?" The tables have turned! Now environmental awareness is becoming more and more popular. Does anyone else feel manipulated?

The Drudge Report Says Global Warming Is Fake

I don't read "The Drudge Report," but I'm aware of it. That's why it surprised me when I read on Wikipedia that Drudge himself has said, "global warming is 'faux science' and that 'the greening of our population, the falling for the science ... is making me nervous.'"

It doesn't make sense to me to have a problem with the "greening" of our population. Isn't going green a good thing? Whether we need to or not, doesn't having an awareness of our environmental impact make things better for everyone?

I got to wondering... Could going green be bad? I for one believe in Global Warming, but even if it wasn't real, what's the harm in being green? I guess it would be harmful if the idea of going green were taken up by some crazy faction that wants to dominate the public under the guise of saving the environment. I guess rallying people to "do their part" on behalf of going green could really be a tool of manipulation and control.

So this begs the question: Is Global Warming being touted as real as part of a conspiracy, the end goal of which being decreased personal freedoms and increased political power for the parties that lead the way?

Anything's possible...

Chupacabra Sighting, The Hairless Coyote, And Global Warming

Lately in the news there's been a story about a Chupacabra found in Texas. It turns out the animal was really a hairless coyote. What does this mean for us?

I was watching CNN today and the, "Stay tuned, we've got more news for ya" message centered around Al Gore and his Inconvenient Truth ties to the Chupacabra story. After the commercials, when the story was finally covered, there was no mention made of Al Gore or his movie. I've noticed that CNN sometimes seems to Bait and Switch when it comes to news stories.

Anyway, even thought CNN didn't explain it, I came up with an explanation regarding why a hairless coyote merits a tie to Global Warming. If the weather gets hot enough, it makes sense that animals will adapt and evolve to run cooler, so as to survive the heat. That means that animals like the coyote may end up becoming hairless in certain areas.

For those of you who haven't seen the now debunked photo of the alleged "Chupacabra" (a.k.a. the Hairless Coyote), it basically looks like the younger brother of one of those Hell Hounds from the "Ghostbusters" movie.

Wow... We're creating Hell Hounds on earth! A scary thought.

Motivating Us All To Change

If there were an event during which we all did something that had a major, visible, positive impact, I think that would get us fired up. Like if we were all told to change all the light bulbs in our house to compact fluorescents on December 21 or something. They'd need to show how much energy we're consuming already, and then the change that our collective action effected. If it was big enough, we'd probably be thrilled, and much more willing to change other things, as well.

I think most people are only subtly, vaguely aware of how becoming more energy efficient will also save us money. We're spending on energy that we don't necessarily need. If we each modified our households to make them more efficient, we'd all be richer for it. Maybe Al Gore should make a new movie explaining how to get rich and save the world at the same time.

I remember hearing that some people think it's better to leave the lights on because it saves on the heating bill, and some people like to drive with their windows down all the time, because it saves energy that would have been consumed using the air conditioner. I also remember hearing how each of these issues is far more complex than it's made out to be. But there are many who, for one reason or another, are dead-set on one idea that may or may not be correct. "I do this because it saves me energy." It may in fact do the opposite, but the person doesn't know any better. I'll bet in the near future the government or some organization is going to create a massive education campaign to clarify a lot of different ways we can all save energy. They'll hammer home ideas that will benefit us all, and will hopefully stick and be put into widespread practice. But when?