Last week, I mentioned some research that has the potential to turn any window into a solar panel. It turns out that’s just a side benefit – the original aim of the research is actually even more innovative, in its own way. The technology features thin, transparent layers of material that absorb infrared light (heat) … Continue reading
Tag Archives: sustainability
The Power Plant of the Future is You
Three times a week, I go to the gym on my way home from work. And three times a week, I ask myself the same question: isn’t this a waste? I don’t mean the exercise. A longer lifespan, plus reduced risk of Alzheimer‘s and cancer, is all the justification I need. No, I’m talking about … Continue reading
Peak Oil: Disaster or Salvation?
Oil is a finite and non-renewable resource. This is not a political position, nor a scientific theory, but a straightforward fact. “Peak Oil” is the time at which worldwide extraction begins to slow. Wells won’t run dry overnight, but beyond peak oil, dwindling supply will make oil ever more difficult and expensive to produce. The … Continue reading
Welcome to the Urban Planet
In the last couple of years, our planet’s human inhabitants have crossed two major thresholds, one of which indicates major problems ahead, and the other of which offers a glimmer of hope. We’ll get back to the hopeful bit in a minute, but let’s begin with the problem, which you’ve probably seen in the news … Continue reading
Solar Power, meet Microfinance
Since my day job is at a non-profit with tight budgets, it’s not often it introduces me to new technology. But thanks to a mid-October workshop hosted by our international department, I had the chance to get hands-on experience with a remarkable innovation: it’s a deceptively simple device, yet it has the potential to lift … Continue reading
Cosmic Revolutions 