A Safer, Greener Nuclear Power

A nuclear power technology that can be deployed for everything from seawater desalination to production of hydrogen vehicle fuel is the type of technology that can shift an energy economy.  A new $4...

Ecosystem Services & the True Value of Water

When was the last time you were consciously aware of how the ecosystem provides services? Whether it is the conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen, the hydrologic cycle, growing food or recreation, th...

The Crash of the Industrial Age

What if it were too late to save the world? What if rising threats to natural support systems on which all life depend, posed by humanity’s industrial way of life, have already done so much damage t...

Squeezed Like Lemons: Hawaii PUC Mistreats Citizen-Solar Producers

In February 2012, my wife, Elizabeth, and I started an amazing educational journey on uses and abuses of energy on our planet. Our first-ever adventure with an electric car during a weekend trip to Oa...

America’s Addiction to Energy

Can I see a show of hands for those who want to use less energy? Of course no one wants to use less energy. That would be like asking if anyone would like to breathe less. Energy, like air, makes qual...

Solar as an Energy Partner Power Production’s Paradigm Shift

Much discussion and news about solar energy has occurred lately prompted largely by the Solyndra bankruptcy and the federal loan guarantees, which took taxpayer dollars down with the Company. In fact,...

Immigration and Unsustainable Growth

The United States is facing a future of too many people and too few resources, and its nation’s leaders fail to discern, or refuse to acknowledge, this reality. The one thing President Obama and Gov...

The Arctic is Opening but the U.S.A. is Not Prepared

Environmentalists have talked about it for decades. Scientists have predicted it for awhile now. The U.S. Navy has been warning that we should prepare for it. Now even business is banking on it: Royal...

One Man’s Personal Quest Privately Generated Renewable Energy

If you’re a Hawaii resident, get ready to be shocked, perhaps even “electrified,” and not in a good way. If you live elsewhere in the United States, consider yourself lucky. Yea...

Climate Change Implications & Recommendations for Security

Climate change is likely to have the greatest impact on security through its indirect effects on conflict and vulnerability. Many developing countries are unable to provide basic services and improvem...

HDR Solid Waste Innovations

In 2010 the U.S. generated 250 million tons of trash, or municipal solid waste (MSW), and recycled and composted almost 85 million tons. On average, Americans recycled and composted 1.51 pounds of the...

Navy Medicine: Bringing Hope, Security & Stability to the World

On January 12, 2010, the Haitian people suffered a devastating earthquake, which decimated most infrastructure and homes, and killed and injured thousands. The suffering was unimaginable, and the need...

Resources for the Future: Securing Water for a Secure Future

Perusing headlines across the United States, the poetic refrain of Samuel Coleridge comes to mind: “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” The refrain referenced oceans, but it seems inc...

HDR Architecture Health Design Interventions

Consider these statistics: Annual revenues for U.S. home fitness equipment manufacturers reached about $3 billion last year while the health club industry enjoyed revenues of $20.3 billion. Now ponder...

Rear Admiral Phil Cullom: A Warrior’s Energy Ethos

Ihave always tried to look at things through the lens of a quarter of a century because when a person subscribes to the ‘art of the long view,’ he or she ends up making better strategic decisions....

Analyzing DoD’s Sustainable Energy Practice

US. Armed Forces “own” the largest number of the 500,000 Federal buildings; 600,000 vehicle fleet and 1.8 million Federal employees. Therefore, it only makes sense that a national policy for energ...

Air Force Focuses on Sustainable Installations

As our Nation’s senior military leaders note, our country is in a new paradigm. We can no longer operate as if budgets always rise and resources always replenish. We must make a com...

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Sustainable Development in Afghanistan

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is constructing billions of dollars of infrastructure throughout Afghanistan. Incorporating green and sustainable solutions within a program of this size would...

Incentives for Energy Efficiency

Ithink the biggest impact we can have on energy is people’s behavior. For example, if everyone bought a hybrid car, the Nation would eliminate a significant amount of its oil imports because our gas...

Information of Interest, Nov/Dec 2010

1. Air Force to Host Dec. 8th Renewable Energy Industry Day U.S. AIR FORCE – Renewable energy companies, innovators and entrepreneurs will get the chance to learn about potential energy project oppo...

Federal Sustainability’s Impact

Amidst the high-profile, highly charged Federal political scene dealing with topics such as health care and terrorism is a very successful, relatively quiet success story – Federal sustainability. A...

Increasing Efficiencies in Technology Update on Solar Energy Research

Most people in the field think we need new materials or better ways of putting those materials together to get more efficient electron transport,” said Ellen Fisher, chair of the Department of Chemi...

A Future Amazonia

The Amazonian forest is being cut to sell timber and to produce soybeans and meat because it’s economically sensible within the current global political-economic environment. Ironically, the forest...

Mining and the Destruction of Baia Mare

More than 100,000 cubic meters of heavily poisoned water, rich in cyanide and other toxic heavy metals, such as copper and zinc, spilled through a tailings dam breach Jan. 31, 2000, in Baia Mare, capi...

Doing Business with the Poor for Prosperity

When Bangladeshi banker Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, it was in recognition of his successful work over decades to create a bank for the poor people of his country. But it was anot...
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