Energy

“Data from China show that large amounts of coal emissions shorten lives”: The MIT Energy Intiative reports: ” A high level of air pollution, in the form of particulates produced by burning coal, significantly shortens the lives of people exposed to it, according to a unique new study of China co-authored by an MIT economist. […]

Energy

Guna People of Panama’s islands Flee rising Seas

Juan Cole

The indigenous community of the Guna (Kuna) live on islands off Panama and along a narrow strip of its coast, in the province of Guna Yala (Kuna Yala). But global warming and sea level rise are threatening their lives on those islands, and those of Carti Sugdup (Gardi Sugdup) have decided that they have to […]

Energy

Pussy Riot Protests Russian Oil Oligarchs and Putin

Juan Cole

The Russian Punk Rock band “Pussy Riot” has released a new video, Rolling Stone reports, entitled “Like a Red Prison,” in which they attack Russia’s oil magnates and their ties to President Vladimir Putin. The song likens Putin to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei because of his favoritism toward the Russian Orthodox Church, and complains that […]

Africa

Kenya: Solar Power on a Pay as you Go Plan gives Light, rechargers to Villagers

Juan Cole

“Small solar home systems bring good quality light and phone-charging to off-grid households and save them money. Yet their upfront costs render them out of reach for the people who would benefit most from them. UK-based startup Azuri has developed a pay-as-you-go interface which allows households [in Kenya and East Africa] to pay for solar […]

Energy

Tiny Cape Verde’s Push to be a World Leader in Wind Energy

Juan Cole

Finnfund explains: “The windswept islands of Cape Verde lie off West Africa, some 500 km from Senegal. They are the site of Africa’s largest wind power project, which started up in autumn 2011. Generating equipment on four of the islands will produce a greater proportion of electricity from wind than anywhere else in the world…” […]

Energy

And you Want to transport More Oil across America by rail, pipelines? Canadian Town destroyed by Railroad Oil Cars

Juan Cole

Train cars carrying petroleum became unmoored and rolled seven miles before jacknifing and exploding, inflicting heavy damage on the town of Lac Megantic in Quebec. At least 5 are dead, 40 are missing, and over a thousand were evacuated because of toxic fumes and the outbreak of fires. CBS News reports: Industrial accidents involving petroleum […]

Energy

Egypt: Fundamentalists hurl Kids from Building, Beat Them (Caution: Explicit)

Juan Cole

This video is circulating via YouTube showing two kids being hurled from what looks like a 20-feet-high parapet to the roof of an apartment building and then being beaten. The people attacking them are hard line Muslim fundamentalists; one is carrying a black al-Qaeda flag. The youths who were attacked are alleged to have been […]

Energy

GE’s ‘Brilliant’ Wind Turbines offer Cheaper Energy than Coal, Gas, & have Battery Storage

Juan Cole

GE’s Brilliant wind turbines generate electricity more cheaply than coal or gas according to Clean Technica , and have battery storage for when the wind isn’t blowing: Here’s a well-done video on the technology: The Department of Energy issued a report in December finding that building out US wind power over the next two decades […]

Energy

Critics: Obama’s Climate Plan a Day Late and a Penny Short (Lazare)

Juan Cole

President should renounce “all of the above” energy strategy and nation's reliance on dirty fossil fuels, say environmentalists – Sarah Lazare, staff writer, Commondreams Environmentalists warn that President Obama's 'climate plan'—announced Tuesday in a speech at Georgetown University—does not contain the urgency required by the fast-spiraling crisis of global warming and climate change and that […]