Word Snapper Articles

Local Energy Production Makes Sense

By Aldene Fredenburg

With the crisis in oil and natural gas prices, the continued violence in the Middle East, and the environmental concerns brought front and center by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, alternative fuels have managed to become a topic of conversation in the mainstream media.

Unfortunately, not all proposals make sense environmentally. The energy crisis has given the nuclear industry a major boost, despite problems with nuclear waste and vulnerability to terrorist threats, and Republicans in Congress are pushing even harder for drilling on the ecologically fragile Alaskan slopes. Meanwhile the oil companies, in an attempt to keep a stranglehold on the production of energy, are the ones getting billions of dollars in support for developing new technologies, including hydrogen fuel cell and ethanol development.

Let’s face it: If Standard Oil or Exxon could figure out a way to put a meter on the sun, we’d have solar energy in abundance tomorrow. Meanwhile, we really need to challenge this notion of having multinational, multi-billion-dollar companies the ones responsible for doling out our energy needs. Bringing energy production back to our shores from the Middle East, Venezuela, and other political hotspots is only the beginning of a solution.

We need every region in this country, and every community in each region, to make energy production a priority. In the Midwest, that can mean a combination of wind, solar, and ethanol or biodiesel production. Farmers particularly vulnerable to a rise in fuel to run their farm equipment could have their own small ethanol or biodiesel plants on-site, growing the raw material and then producing the fuel they need to operate their tractors, combines, and other machines. The Southeast could adopt solar technology on a house-by-house basis; just retrofitting every mobile home in the Sun Belt with solar air-conditioning capability could save billions in fuel demands every year. In the Northeast, a combination of solar energy and wind power in the summer and wind and biodiesel use in the winter, with family farms growing much of the raw material for the biodiesel, could cut the region’s dependency on heating oil, propane, and natural gas during the coldest months of the year. And all over the country, using sustainable farming and foresting methods to product corn and wood pellet products would provide still another efficient, low-emissions fuel.

Even hydrogen technology makes more sense produced on a local basis as part of a comprehensive energy plan. Hydrogen is produced by splitting water molecules into its component hydrogen and oxygen atoms; the hydrogen is then burned, producing more water. Using up massive amounts of water in centralized plants would put a tremendous demand on a locality’s water supply, and then would affect the environment in ways not now known as the fuel is burned and the water redistributed around the country. Locally, hydrogen could be produced using solar energy on a building by building basis, and then could be stored and used to fuel cars or for household energy use. The water produced by burning the hydrogen could also conceivably be collected and reused, limiting the demand on the water supply.

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Energy Information

By Richard Chapo

Article reviewed by Certs, Inc. Energy Information

The issues associated with the continued of fossil fuels are complex. What is undisputed, however, is the world is turning to meet the challenge through renewable energy.

When one thinks of the amount of energy needed to power the modern world, it is easy to get a headache. The sheer volume is so massive as to be difficult to picture. Now that we have awakened to environment, climate and societal problems associated with the continued use of fossil fuels, it is interesting to hear the politicians suddenly thinking green.

Ten years ago, who would have imagined the Terminator, now the Governator of California, driving around in a hybrid hummer? Well, he does. More so, Governor Schwarzenegger happens to arguably be the greenest politician in the Unites States when it comes to actually taking action. California, after all, has just instituted a 3 billion dollar solar energy plan.

Alas, the federal government falls on its face when it comes to energy issues. Beholden to big oil, there current administration simply refuses to acknowledge there is a problem, much less take action. For many in the country, this must give the impression that nothing is being done around the world. In fact, much is being done, but the U.S. simply is not taking part.

For example, give some thought to Victoria, Australia. This province has just committed itself to obtaining 60 percent of all of its energy from renewable sources by 2016. That is a staggering number.

How about Germany? The Germans lead the world in wind and solar technology. By 2020, a full 20 percent of the total German energy supply will come from renewable energy. If you have ever experienced the lights of Berlin at night, you know that is impressive.

How about Norway? The country is 99 percent reliant on renewable energy sources. Norway has no petroleum powered power plants. None! It imports no oil. In fact, it exports nearly all of its oil resources, making it the third biggest exporter in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Russia.

How about Brazil? The country is known for its “interesting” political situation, yet it has managed to turn itself into a clean energy giant in South America. The reason is the country has converted much of its transportation, public and private, to ethanol. By 2007, it is believed most transportation in Brazil will run on 100 percent ethanol, which is a biofuel made from sugar cane. The price per gallon of ethanol is half that of oil. If the United States was to take the same step, the savings on oil each year would be close to $2 trillion dollars.

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Three Things to Look For to See If the Economy is Rebounding

By Brian Krassenstein

We have all seen things from an economics standpoint that we never thought would have happened in our lifetime. The Dow went from over 14,000 to under 6500 in a matter of 18 months, and talks of another Great Depression were heard on almost every US news channel. Things though did not get into depression territory, and they look now to be stabalizing at least a bit. So, when will the rebound occur in the general economy? Here are three things to look for that will determine that an economic rebound is taking shape.

#1 Temporary Work Force Gains
Before the unemployment rate starts decreasing significantly, there will be a pick up of temporary jobs available. This is because as business’s start earning more, or start sensing that they will be earning more money, they want to expand. Before hiring permanent employees, they usually hire temporary ones to fill the spots until it is confirmed that a turn around has begun. Look for a rise in temporary workforce numbers for 3-4 months in a row before getting too excited

#2 Reduction in the Housing Supply
The housing market got us into the mess we are in, and will need to rebound in order for us to get out of it completely. The Index is measured by the total number of months worth of homes that are on the market given the sales rates. As mortgages become more available, and people become more optimistic they will begin either buying homes, or taking their homes off the market. Once there are about 6 or 7 months worth of homes on the market, we may be in pretty good shape.

#3 Corporation Mergers and Acquisition
When large corporations begin to both merge and acquire other companies within their sector, we know that the managers of these companies feel the stock prices are way undervalued and that the hope for a recovery is ever so closer. We are beginning to see some acquisitions, so maybe we are not as far away from a recovery as some think.

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Why Inventors and Innovators Need Business Plans
By Lance Winslow

It’s often unfortunate when inventors and innovators take everything so darn personally. When someone questions their idea and concepts to learn more they often get rather persnickety, angry, and we find they are unable to articulate their plans in laymen terms or prove their concepts. Further, they often have no back-up plans to support their theories, hypothesis, or inventions. What they need is better documentation, some math and a business plan.

That is if they truly wish to be taken seriously. Why is this issue even worth mentioning you ask? Well, because some of these so-called ideas and concepts are insanely ridiculous, some have a little merit and others are absolutely without a doubt brilliant in every regard. Perhaps this is why think tanks spend a good amount of time and do a ton of business plan writing because without a plan or executive summary, no one takes it seriously.

If you need help with writing up a business plan to help sell, or pitch your idea, you need to find a like-minded innovative spirit to help you. The issues are indeed a factor of personality types. You see, straight creative geniuses and brilliant innovators are not always so good with the details, but they need that component to succeed.

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