Computers are becoming an increasingly have become an integral part of our life largely because of the time they save. The even conserve energy by allowing us telecommute and order products from the comfort of our home. However they obviously use electricity, electricity that is often coming from dirty forms of energy such as coal. Luckily, manufacturers like Dell and Hewlett Packard are striving to “green” their image and produce computers that use significantly less power. Fortunately, there are also things you can do to reduce the energy consumption of the computer you are using right now. The folks at the Lifehacker blog have compiled a great list of the Top 10 Computing Energy Savers. Continue reading
Energy COOL: Frying in the Sun
There are many tremendous technologies, processes, and such out there that can help us move toward a prosperous and sustainable energy future. These range from urban bike programs to energy efficient public housing to finding out 
just how easy it is to cook with the sun. Or, as advertised here, Frying in the Sun.
*ANNOUNCEMENT* There is a major Solar Cooking Demonstration in Washington, DC, by the US Senate Friday afternoon, 27 July. Information within the diary.
Continue reading
Just look at yourself! Carbon taxes, caps, & trades
Just look at yourself! The average American is responsible for around 23 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Want to do something about it? Let’s talk about personal carbon rationing, trading, and taxes because there are movements afoot to promote all three. They basically address the individual, as opposed to or in addition to, industry.
1. Personal Carbon Rations/Limits/Caps
Personal carbon rationing involves the setting of a per person cap on carbon dioxide emissions. One such concept was developed in the UK by Mayer Hillman and Tina Fawcett in their book, “How We Can Save the Planet“. Rationing follows these principles:
- Every person, adult or child gets a ration.
- Rations are measurable and are tracked and audited.
- Rations are tradeable.
- The ration covers the direct energy used in the household and for personal travel. Each unit of energy like gasoline or electricity used results in the emission of carbon dioxide
- Every year, the ration size decreases.
There is currently a voluntary movement known as Carbon Rationing Action Groups, or CRAGs, where people set themselves emissions rations and then work to stay within the ration. This effort was started in the UK about 18 months ago. These groups are local, include around 8-10 people, meet regularly, set their per capita rations, audit their energy bills at the end of each “Carbon Year”, and sometimes penalize or reward their members for going over or under their rations. There are also individual tracking programs in the UK like CarbonDiet. Consistent protocols for tracking individual emissions are under development by groups like the “Avoiding Mass Extinctions Engine”(AMEE) applications programming interface.
Johns Hopkins announces landmark Climate Policy
Posted on behalf of Hopkins student, Teryn Norris
Published: July 26, 2007
President William Brody of Johns Hopkins has just announced the adoption of a new climate change policy that seeks to make the university a leader in the fight against global warming. “Johns Hopkins is eager to rise to this immense challenge,” Brody announced. “As of today, I am committing The Johns Hopkins University to become a driving force for developing solutions to the climate change problem.” In a university-wide email sent out early this week, Brody set forth an ambitious initiative to be guided by a comprehensive set of principles:
- Leverage university strengths in science, technology, public health, and public policy to contribute to finding solutions to issues related to climate change on a global level.
Carbon Neutrality Rocks the House
Sunday, Mike Tidwell, hosted his quarterly open house at his home in Takoma Park, Maryland. This was Tidwell’s 44th open house to display a wide variety of alternative energy products such as a hybrid car, an electric car, a solar oven, and a corn powered grill that cooks a great veggie-burger!
In case you missed the event, here are photos and descriptions of all the exciting products at the open house:
The Buckner Corn Grill is the newest attraction at the Clean Energy Open House. This grill runs solely on corn and electricity and makes a great veggie-burger.
Marylanders – Join ONE GREEN HOUR – Save Money, save the Planet
Hey Folks, I just received my 5th email about Maryland’s “One Green Hour” event. Initiated by Governor Martin O’Malley, the idea is to turn off your lights for an hour on July 28th (now dubbed Maryland Energy Independence Day”). The idea may be a little hoaky -we’d prefer they turn off the coal-fired power plants for an hour. But its getting traction. I’ve received alerts from the Governor, the Democratic Party, Rep Elijah Cummings and more… So I guess that means we need to join in.Here’s the email from the Democratic Party.
CELEBRATE
Maryland Energy Independence Day
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Saving money and making a real difference for your country can be as easy as flipping a switch – OFF. More on that below.
Please join thousands of Marylanders who will use this day to commit to energy conservation for the long haul. Imagine saving money while saving the Chesapeake Bay and helping create an Energy Independent future. Continue reading
For You Climate Lawyers!
Hey All,
For those of you wonky attorneys out there, my article below got published in the June edition of the Maryland Bar Association Newsletter/Journal. Climate Change law is an ever growing and expanding field, especially in Maryland where a slew of bills were passed or are being seriously considered in the Maryland General Assembly addressing global warming and its affects on the Bay. This dynamic field of law is changing so quickly that the article below from June is somewhat outdated. Comments, questions? Please post to our blog :)
Sincerely, CCAN’s lawyer (yes we have a lawyer) Diana Dascalu-Joffe, Esq.
Article for Maryland State Bar Association Environmental Edition
Global Warming and the Law in Maryland
By Diana Dascalu-Joffe
May 2007
Artic ice melting at an alarming rate. Sea level rise. Ravaging forest fires. Strange, destructive weather patterns. Global warming. Anyone who has not heard about global warming or its affect on the world must have been hibernating under a rock for the past few years. The daunting news is everywhere from Vanity Fair to the Wall Street Journal to local community newsletters.
Speaking as an attorney for a Maryland non-profit organization that educates on climate change and its affects on the Chesapeake Bay, business has never been better! Finally, the world, and many citizens, legislators, businesses, faith leaders, etc have had their “eureka” moment on this issue. Continue reading
It's all in the name
Glacier National Park (for 17 more years)
This summer I was lucky enough to venture out into the Rocky Mountain region to visit my younger sister while she’s working in St. Mary’s, Montana just outside Glacier National Park. I was told to take it all in because in less than 17 years, there will be something big missing from the park–Glaciers. Yep, Glacier National Park will soon have to change it’s name to GlaciatED National Park.
Why do you fight global warming?
This blog is a meant to foster a discussion and we’re dying to know:
Why do you fight global warming?
Climate Scientists: "A Clear Human Fingerprint on Changing Global Rainfall Patterns
It’s official: human activities that cause climate change are changing global rainfall patterns. Earlier today the “BBC Newshour” interviewed one of the authors of the study just released in the British journal “Nature.” The scientist said his study is the first to show that human activities are largely to blame for changes in rainfall patterns over the last century. The author hopes his report will serve as a wake-up call that we need to act now to curb global warming.
The report was released as record rains caused severe flooding in Britain, China and Indonesia.
Tewkesbury, Britain, and its famous Abbey are seen swamped by floodwaters on Monday.
I can’t help but notice a very disturbing discrepancy here:
When it rains in biblical proportions in Europe, conversations understandably turn to global warming. Not so in the U.S. Continue reading