If you had asked 100 people three years ago about their plans for the future, there would have been
a concensus. If you were to ask the same 100 people today, you are likely to have a 100 different answers.
Going green is now the buzz word. Generally, it is thought that it is the job of citizens everywhere to join together
to save the planet. And while such a lofty goal sounds nice, nothing at all will happen unless we are convinced that
what we do, will in the end save ourselves.
An industrial society depends upon cheap and abundant energy. At this point in time we are on
a collision course. Population is exploding. That pressure is threatening the earth's resources. Without
sufficient resources we cannot survive. First as an industrialized society. Finally, as a human race.
I don't mean for this all to sound so foreboding. It may in fact not be. The best guess is that
presently available renewable energy sources can be increased to provide up to 20% of our energy needs. Unfortunately,
those needs, even with energy conservation, are growing annually.
I have been eyeing the new LED light bulbs that are now for sale at Wal-Mart. It is now possible to
buy such a bulb for $5.84. The expected life is 30,000 hours. The energy consumption for a 40 watt equivalent
light is 1.5 watts. Ground source heat, solar panels, wind generators are all present energy saving options. Better
insulation, more efficient appliances, and improved windows are now a necessity.
But the question still remains. Where is that silver bullet that will fuel our factories, our transportation
systems, and most importantly our food production? The answer is that there is probably not just one single solution. But
if there is a silver bullet, it will come from the sea.
Recently, I have become fascinated with the renewed interest in cold fusion. This is a process of
using palladium as an electrode in heavy water that produces excess heat. Announced by scientists, Fleischmann and Ponns
in 1989 it was discredited by other researchers. The results were not able to be reliably duplicated. Recently
renewed research has proved promising. The variable in the experiment has been shown to center around the purity of
the palladium electrode. What's not to like about a process that produces 25 times more energy than it consumes
with absolutely no carbon footprint?
CHECK BACK NEXT WEEK FOR THE DETAILS ON HOW OUR HOUSES WILL MEET THE 40% ENERGY REDUCTION GOAL.
