Sarah Palin has said many times that the polar bear habitat is safe, and there’s no need to classify them as a “threatened” species.  Yet today comes word that as the Arctic sea ice melts, polar bears are finding less and less food sources and are beginning to cannibalize one another.

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The idea was great, it operated without electricity, using ammonia, butane and water.  The principle being that water boils at a much lower temperature at high altitudes where air pressure is lower than it does when you’re at sea level, where air pressure is higher.

Malcom McCulloch, an electrical engineer at Oxford University in the U.K., is leading a team in a three year project to produce appliances that can be used in places without electricity.  Or, for that matter, places with electricity, why not?.  That’s when McCulloch latched on to Einstein’s fridge idea.

Einstein’s concept, shown in the image above, works thusly.  At one side is the evaporator, a flask that contains butane. “If you introduce a new vapor above the butane, the liquid boiling temperature decreases and, as it boils off, it takes energy from the surroundings to do so,’ says McCulloch. ‘That’s what makes it cold.”

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A vegetarian woman was driving along a German highway and came upon a truckload of pigs headed for a sausage factory.  She told officers she was so traumatized by the site of the poor little animals going to slaughter, that she momentarily lost control of her car and sideswiped another truck, filled with pigs.

Apparently, there was little damage to the vehicles, the pigs survived and so did the driver.

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Unique, clever and straight-forward engineering has resulted in three Volvo models ready for the road.

These fuel-sipping marvels feature a 1.6 litre diesel engine along with aerodynamicly reduced air resistance, new Michelin tires that lower rolling resistance, and the new European cyclGearbox with altered ratios for third, fourth and fifth gears.  Volvo says the new gearbox configuration alone results in a 1.5% reduction in fuel consumption without affecting the driveability of the car.

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Unique, clever and straight-forward engineering has resulted in three Volvo models ready for the road.

These fuel-sipping marvels feature a 1.6 litre diesel engine along with aerodynamicly reduced air resistance, new Michelin tires that lower rolling resistance, and the new European cyclGearbox with altered ratios for third, fourth and fifth gears.  Volvo says the new gearbox configuration alone results in a 1.5% reduction in fuel consumption without affecting the driveability of the car.

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Who would have imagined, a luxury rickshaw in Beijing.  China’s Legal Evening Post says the tricycle, dubbed “The Other Rickshaw”, was designed and produced by BMW.

The company that owns the vehicle, Chen De Bao, says it’s the only rickshaw of its kind in the world.

According to the article, the passenger area is the original rear half of a Mini car body, completely equipped with safety belts, gold-plated dragons and various other Chinese decorations.  In other words, it’s a bicycle pulling a two-wheeled car body.

The driver of the rickshaw, Song, put it mildly, saying it’s “rather” heavy and takes a lot of effort to run.”

Can you imagine a pair of 300-pounders asking for a tour of the city?  All downhill, of course.

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Solar Energy Comes to the DOE Headquarters

One of the largest solar power systems in Washington, D.C. was inaugurated atop the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Forrestal Building today (9-9-08).  Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman, shown here, energized the system for the first time, saying:

“The significance of this solar array is both practical and symbolic–it improves the way the Department consumes energy and it is a symbol of America’s commitment to using the best available new technologies to confront the energy challenges we face today and will face tomorrow,”

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Milestone Move by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

It’s taken two decades and billions of dollars, but the proposed Yucca Mountain Nuclear Repository project has finally reached a new plateau.  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, (NRC) has accepted an application for licensing, and will begin a lengthy process of safety studies, hearings and public meetings.

The application was filed June 3rd by the Department of Energy (DOE), and was accepted as “sufficiently complete” for the agency to move forward with the process which could take up to four years.

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Hey, Can We Take it For a Ride?

You’ve no doubt wondered how a $500,000, 420bhp sportscar would run, right?  I mean after all, what would it be like to go from 0-62 mph in just 3.2 seconds?

That’s what 44 year old Martin Holz and Friedrich Voller, 53, had in mind when they asked a car dealer in Moenchengladbach, Germany if they could take it for a spin.  The car, built as a prototype by the Vemot AG company, was on display and just too much of a temptation.

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Ok, so it isn’t flashy, just nice clean lines and a monster under the hood.  It’s the new Trident Iceni, a two-seat sports car boasting a 6.61 litre V8 turbo diesel from GM that will launch you from 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds.  The company, Trident Performance Vehicles based in the UK, says computer calculations suggest a top speed of 230 mph, and a range of approximately 1000 miles.

The car’s chassis is stainless steel throughout, forming what the company says is a complete safety cell around the occupants against front and side impact.  Rollover protection is supplied by a central spine configuration that is said to have the highest torsional rigidity of any car tested.  Trident guarantees the car for life against corrosion.

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Using a 50-50 mixture of JP-8 jet fuel and a natural gas-based synthetic fuel, an F-15 Strike Eagle flew high above Robins Air Force Base in Georgia this week.  One of the pilots for the test, Maj. Dan Badia, is quoted as saying it was just another day at the office.

He said, “You could have had JP-8 in there and I wouldn’t have known the difference.”

The test flight involved engineers from the 830th Aircraft Sustainment Group, who maintain the 561st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and pilots from the 339th Flight Test Certification office.

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It may sound simplistic, but Israeli President Shimon Peres makes a good point;  “The problem itself (terror and Iran), is like a swamp with mosquitos.  It’s preferable to dry out the swamp than try to kill every single mosquito.”

While meeting with representatives of the students’ village in the town of Dimona, Peres said;

“When the price of oil rises, the terrorist organizations feel better; the feeling needs to be brought back down.  The way to bring Iran, Venezuela and even Russia in some respects down, is to lower the price of oil.  Attacking oil fields is foolish.  We can attack with energy, meaning create alternative energy.”

Peres made the statement during a celebration of his 85th birthday Dimona, Israel, a town he described as, “one of the most beautiful towns in Israel, a town that is number one in education and urban development.”  He said residents of the community have excelled in turning the desert wilderness into a “beautiful and wonderful town unparalleled in Jewish history.”

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Yucca Mountain, “Yes”; transport waste through my state?, “No”; what Grand Canyon?

It’s hard to tell if Senator McCain’s age is catching up with his memory, or if he’s just trying to ride a lot of fences when it comes to nuclear power.

The Sierra Club sent out a release today, pointing out the Senator’s love affair with nuclear power, revealed a YouTube clip of McCain saying he would not approve of shipping 77,000 tons of dangerous nuclear waste through his home state of Arizona, but felt it would be ok to move it through 44 other states.

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With this in mind, let’s examine his stand on drilling for uranium in the national parks surrounding the Grand Canyon.

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There are no nuclear power stations in Idaho, but it does host the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls.  According to its website, the INL is an applied engineering national laboratory, “dedicated to supporting the U.S. Department of Energy’s missions in nuclear and energy research, science, and national defense.”

Idaho’s Governor, C.L. “Butch” Otter, is quoted as saying, “It’s a great match that will result in secure jobs and a stronger economy.”  The state actively courted AREVA with tax incentives, and was picked over three other possible locations.

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Most of us agree that the Kelley Blue Book is the quintessential guide to new and used vehicle information.  Now, they’ve moved into the “Green” world with the launch of Kelley Blue Book Green, a guide for shoppers who want the latest information on alternative fuel technologies.

Everything you want to know about hydrogen, diesel, hybrid, natural gas, electric, flex fuel/ethanol and fuel-sipping gasoline cars is included.  There’s a video section which gives the reader an in-depth look at the latest eco-friendly vehicles out there, and even features a section it calls the Perfect Car Finder.

Read on, the top ten green vehicles, according to KBBGreen, is next.

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Gag Order Imposed

Your tax dollars at work. The Environmental Protection Agency is protecting itself from everyone, including it’s own Inspector General’s Office. (IG)

In a report released by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility website workers in the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance were forbidden to speak with anyone in an effort to “ensure timely responses and assist in tracking and record keeping obligations”.  The order came in a June 16th email, stating that if an employee is approached by a reporter, the IG’s office or GAO requesting any kind of information, to say nothing other than refer that party to the proper authority.

The EPA public affairs office released it’s explanation of the gag order, saying it was implemented to respond to the IG’s report, and ensure “consistency and coordination among those responding to the IG and GAO reports”.

The EPA has been under a lot of heat recently, in one case the IG’s report, “EPA Can Improve its Oversight of Audit Followup” which was issued in May of 2007.  The report chided the EPA for it’s lack of accountability for correcting admitted deficiencies reported in previous IG audits.  Congress has attempted to subpoena agency files and agency director Stephen L Johnson has reportedly refused to appear before a Senate committee.

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My Issues and Support of Nuclear Power

In the past year or so I’ve been writing articles in opposition to the proliferation of nuclear power stations, not only in the United States, but in the world.  The responses have been enlightening, intelligent, pedestrian and downright rude.

In each case, the respondents seem to have either missed my general point, or ignored it altogether in order to make their point that nuclear power is clean and safe.  So I want to go on record, again, that in and of itself, a nuclear power generating station does not pollute the air with toxic smoke and chemicals.  In a limited sense it’s “clean”.  That, I support, but there’s more to consider.

My entire case revolves around the mining, processing and storage of spent uranium and radioactive materials, the effects they have on the environment and the people who populate it.

It’s no secret that many people around the world are afraid of nuclear energy, partially because of the Chernobyl disaster, but also the stories of miners and their families who have been affected by radiation during their lives, and still live in “dirty” areas.  The move to build a hundred or more nuclear power facilities in the coming years means more mining, milling and production of highly toxic, radioactive waste.

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Putting an Old Dog to Rest…Hopefully

For years, there have been rumors, and concerns, about playground areas at the Grand Canyon School District, located inside the park, being contaminated with radioactive soil from old uranium mines in the area.

I talked with park Public Affairs Officer Maureen Oltrogge, and she said that an investigation is underway to determine if there is contaminated soil in the playground areas.  Oltrogge said the park has no records of any company dumping radioactive dirt there, so they’ve contracted with a geotechnical engineering company to test the area and make a final decision.  She said the test results should be in by the end of the year.

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If this provision never becomes law, then those of you who may someday become victims of lung disease, will have to do without rehab when you reach Medicare age.

Congress overwhelmingly approved the Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act, which, among other things, would make life easier for Americans who suffer from lung disease.  This, you say, may not tie into environmentalism, but think again; coal smoke, smoking, second-hand smoke, pollutants in the air, all add to lung disease, and heaven knows we’ve had a century of air pollution pouring into our lungs.  It isn’t over yet.

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Had enough of the “big rigs” on the highway?  Well, Congress is looking at new weight and size limits, and Teamster President James Hoffa says “no” to bigger trucks.

In a House subcomittee hearing July 9, Hoffa is quoted as saying:

“Bigger trucks are more dangerous trucks.  Lifting truck weight and size limits would turn big rigs into time bombs.”

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