A Green Degree Blog: New Angles On Sustainability

April 29th 2012

Inspiring TED talk by the head of the X Prizes Foundation, focused on how incredibly creative and innovative us humans can be when put under pressure, with particular attention to climate change and communication.

Considering how bleak many of the stats and talks about our future can be, this video really puts a beautifully optimistic spin on things, pointing out some astounding advances in technology, health and communication which really make you consider our place in the world.

I urge anyone to watch this if they have the time, as it will simply make you just that bit more comfortable about our future and the route we have chosen. Yeah there will be some extremely bumpy rides along the way, but we’re too damn smart to let society collapse just yet.

Posted at 9:09pm and tagged with: TED, lecture, talk, energy, abundance, earth, humans, humanity, science, technology, medicine, health, mobile phones, amazing, astounding, inspiring, X Prizes, optimism, future,.

April 25th 2012

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Incredible new video commissioned and released by the Planet Under Pressure conference in late March to highlight the newest epoch brought about by us, the Anthropocene.

This video is beautiful and majestic in its depiction of how humanity has spread its influence across the entire globe, with animations overlaid on the Earth demonstrating road and rail networks, internet lines, shipping routes, flightpaths and so much more; it is literally a wonder to watch and behold the might of us humans.

It boggles my mind to think how we have spread so far, built in every continent and country and literally blanketed the planet in our technology, for better or for worse.

Everyone should watch this just to experience our power and understand our species just that little bit better. There’s even a non-narrated version if you just want to sit back and soak up the video in all its sheer wonder.

Posted at 6:04pm and tagged with: vimeo, earth, anthropecene, humans, humanity, globe, roads, railways, internet, video, technology, influecne, awe, power, beauty, planet under pressure, majestic,.

April 13th 2012

How Human Vanity Is Stalling The Renewable Revolution

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I want to start off just by saying, I’m not talking about everybody here, just the unfortunate reality that it is a common theme amongst us humans, and let’s not beat around the bush, us Westerners, that vanity truly gets in the way of rational thinking.

Whilst reading a rather nice little article on Solar Feeds about the pros and cons of wind and solar energy, a particular con struck a chord with me. Both lists included the ‘looks’ factor, with both wind turbines and rooftop solar panels deemed potentially ugly or unattractive in light of the surrounding beauty of nature and the housing or garden they may reside on. Because of this apparent ugliness, many see that as a negative aspect, and decline the chance to produce some good clean energy, without environmental cost. Shocking eh? Not really.

This is by no means a new thing, I’m just bringing it up as I felt rather strongly about it when reading about it today, and my brain wanders easily. It is this vanity and constant desire of society to keep everything looking ‘nice’ and ‘attractive’ that is seriously hindering the renewable industry in my opinion. We refuse to put up solar panels or wind turbines on the grounds of them being an eyesore, despite the completely obvious benefits each and every one provides.

Let’s take for example, the humble solar panel and the cheap-as-chips wind turbine. Both produce clean, effectively free and guiltless energy for us and the grid, without the slightest hint of dirty pollution or damage to the environment, and can run on endless resources with no extra payment or attention needed on our part. The same goes for marine, tidal or offshore wind, all of which just keep on giving without taking.