I thought I would share this photograph I found online.

David Thoreau's Thoughts

In Where I lived, and what I lived for, it is interesting how Thoreau wrote about if we stayed home then we wouldn’t want things like railroads (Thoreau 2007). The essay also had brought up how the rest of us think we need to have all these technological things, but really we don’t need any of it; we survived without them before they were invented. I think this relates to the energy predicament because we did survive before electricity, but it makes our lives easier. Also, the energy problem and protecting the earth makes some people in the world feel urged to live without any technology like Thoreau did in the essay. I personally think that the people could reduce their energy uptake instead of completely cutting themselves off. I think this essay is moving, but doesn’t make me want to go out and live in cabin. I might for a little bit, but it would just be for fun. Overall the essay seemed well put together with all the examples of technology we can live without, but it doesn’t make me want to make life changes. Also Thoreau did not live deep in the woods and even got pie frequently; according to Cohen's introduction of Thoreau (In 50 Essays-- where I found the essay--). Hearing that has a negative effect and Thoreau is looking for epiphany when they read his essay

Thoreau,D.(2007).Where I lived and what I lived for. In S. Cohen (Eds.), 50 Essays. (2nd ed., pp424-430).

Hydropower

I chose to write about hydropower because back in my hometown,in Alaska,we have a hydro power plant. I wanted to learn more about what hydro power and if it is better for the environment. Apparently it is better than using up fossil fuels, but it is also harmful to the environment in a different way than green house gases. Hydro power can be harmful to the wild life, plants, and can actually get in the way of people’s homes. Although it is harmful, it is also a good renewable resource, because it uses a dam to build up energy in the water by only letting some water pass through. When the water is released it spins turbines to create energy. The dams in the hydro power plants can hold water in so that it can build up enough pressure to create energy or it can hold water in till energy is needed. The hydro power is a good idea but it does have bad side effects. Overall it is better than using up more fossil fuels.

Hydropower.(2008). Retrieved April 4, 2010, from http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=hydropower_home-basics-k.cfm#hydropower_where-basics

Government's Plan on Biofuels

This article describes the action that the Obama Administration is taking to address the issue of climate change and use of fossil fuels. The plan is to do more research on bio fuels so that the U.S. gas industry and change over to cleaner energy resources. They are also going to have a public facility where it is open the public to use for research on bio fuels. Over all the goal of this article is to let the reader know that there is research being done and there will be a facility that is for the public to use.

Department of energy to invest nearly $18 million for advanced biofuels user facility. (2010). Retrieved April 5, 2010, from http://www.energy.gov/news/8809.htm

Energy analysis

The article is about a technique that to measures how much energy is consumed everyday to check if there is one thing that uses up all the energy in a building full of offices. The test will then allow you to see if there is any one particular thing using up your energy; such as using machinery wrong, or if you have heat or air conditioner problems. Then after you get the information you can figure out what to change or fix so that you can save energy.

Seem,J.E. (2007). Using intelligent data analysis to detect abnormal energy.Energy and buildings,39, 52-58.doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2006.03.003

Paper making

The author discusses about two tests done on two methods of producing paper. The tests are conducted by using a simulator to determine which method saves the most energy throughout the production of paper. Also, the goal is to find a way save energy while getting rid of the by products from the paper making process. In all the paper is about how to save energy while producing paper. (Applied Energy, 2009)

Cardosoa, M.,Oliveiraa, K.D.D., Costaa, G.A.A., Passosb, M.L. (2009).Chemical process simulation for minimizing energy consumption in pulp mills.Applied energy, 86, 45-51. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2008.03.021

The government

The author explains how the government is working on figuring out different renewable resources to replace the fossil fuels we are using up and that cannot be replaced. The author goes into details about how they want to use wind turbines and other methods to save energy. The overall goal is to find a way to reduce green house gases, but also find an inexpensive way to change over from fossil fuels to renewable energy by using wind turbines.

Casten, T.R., Smith, J.A.(2009)Finding the cheapest clean power options.The electricity journal,22, 69-76.doi:10.1016/j.tej.2009.10.014

Life cycle assessment's plan about garbage

The author discusses how the Life Cycle Assessment is planning different ways to save the earth’s nonrenewable resources. The Life Cycle Assessment committee is concerned about landfills and is interested in how they can use the gas that is created in them to make energy that is renewable. Overall this plan talks about how to deal with landfills, but also how to use the garbage for energy so that they are not using up fossil fuels.

Cherubinia, F., Bargiglib, S., Ulgiatic,S.(2009).Life cycle assessment (LCA) of waste management strategies: Landfilling, sorting plant and incineration,34,2116-2123.doi:10.1016/j.energy.2008.08.023

Desiccant Air Conditioners

The author explains how desiccant air conditioning systems work because they do not use up fossil fuels, while cooling down the air. The author also talks about how this air condition system can only work effectively in warm areas that have a lot of moisture in the air. The systems use desiccant materials so that it will lower the humidity in the room instead of, like other conditioning systems,just cooling the air that moves through the machine. The other air conditioning machines just cool the air; they ultimately use up more energy because the other system reduces the humidity.In all the desiccant air conditioning system is greener and does not use up energy like the regular air conditioning systems.

Desiccants: Because it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.(1999).Retrieved April 4,2010, fromhttp://www.ornl.gov/info/reporter/no2/humidity.htm

Why does fuel cost so much?

Why does fuel costs so much?, The author listed and described various costs in producing and transporting fuel.The process of delivering fuel to the pump starts at being sent to a refinery and then has to be transported to the gas pumps. There are more steps that gas has to get through but I focus on the ones I found the most interesting, because every step gas goes through we get billed for. When we pay for fuel we are paying for all the transportation costs, refinery bills, and we get taxed. Hopefully, after reading this blog post and looking at the gas pump article and photo; we will realize how riding a bike will not only benefit our health, but our wallets too.

Gasoline and diesel fuel update.(2010).Retrieved April 1,2010, from http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gasdiesel.asp

About Passive Solar Energy

About Passive Solar Energy and how does it work?
Passive solar energy works with solar panels that absorb the sun’s energy without the use of electric power. The way it works is that it moves the energy or heat throughout the house by transferring and storing the heat in objects (cement blocks, water, and solar panels) in the house.The author also adds that heat is best absorbed by dark panels, because darker colors absorb more heat than glass or opaque colors(Energy 2009). Once the heat is absorbed it is transferred to cooler places in the house until the whole housed it warmed up.There are more ways to use passive solar energy but the author focuses on how it works by using cement, water, or solar panels to store or use the energy, instead of using fossil fuels.

How a Passive Solar Home Design Works.(2009).Retrieved April 1,2010, from http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/designing_remodeling/index.cfm/mytopic=10260

What are blower doors?

The blower doors are fans that are inserted between doors. The fans also have pressure gauges on them, so that you can control the flow of air through the door way. Their use is to help determine where the leaks are in a house. The owner can get the leaks sealed up once they figure out where they all are by using the blower doors. They are useful when determining what areas do not need weatherization. As well as helping to determine if the spot you sealed was done correctly. (U.S. Department of Energy, 2008) In all blower doors help weatherization crews, because it would be hard to find leaks in a house without this technology. Plus it would be tough to know whether or not you did a good job sealing up the leak without the blower door.
I did not know anything about blower doors before reading this article. I find blower doors interesting and I always wondered how weatherization crews knew if they did a good job or not. Also, I think it is awesome that the crews can double check how well they did weatherizing the houses. Plus it is their job to make sure if they sealed up all the leaks in the house. The blower door is almost like a spell check. I also find it funny that these fans can detect leaks in a house, because I would have never thought something so non technological compared to laptop, iphones, and ipods could help weatherization crews. However, I am glad that these blower fans were created to help weatherization crews not only find leaks, but make sure they sealed up all leakks, because it lowers the households energy consumption.

Blower Door Tests.(2009).Retrieved April 1, 2010, from http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11190