Winding River Colorful Sunrise wallpaper
New Isetta to Solve Our Transportation Woes
A Dutch designer says resurrecting the microcar is the key to reducing congestion and maximizing efficiency.
Ralph Panhuysen, whose Space Efficient Vehicle (SEV) seats three in a sideways V formation and parks two abreast like shoes in a shoebox, dreams of a world in which small, lightweight cars sip fuel and travel two-abreast in a single lane.
While they are not for everyone I’m a fan of the mini-car – with some slight modifications, mostly in the way of creature comforts like AC the Honda concept car 3R-C would make a great commuter or second car for a two car family. An updated Isetta (like the SEV) would be capable of cruising at 90 mph while still averaging 80 mpg. Wired also compares the SEV to the Messerschmitt and Heinkel. The Isetta, Messerschmitt and Heinkel were all originated in the 1950s. Photos at each link.
I think it was back in 2007 we had the great ivory billed woodpecker might not be extinct craze. For what good it did, while I was doubtful, I did cross my fingers hoped for the best. Thus far no ivory billed. The whole chase for the bird does make an interesting science meets detective story – Ghost Bird – The Ivory-billed Woodpecker: Hopes, Dreams, and Reality
Some wind advocates are now foes – Disruption issues have turned off onetime fans
Bob Anders used to count himself among the fans of wind power — until developers pitched the idea of a 10-turbine wind farm near his Webster home with blades reaching close to 500 feet in the air.
That’s when Anders began having second thoughts about the disruption, from the constant whooshing of the turbines to the repetitive glint of sunshine off the blades at certain times of the day, not to mention a feared drop in property values.
…. Eleanor Tillinghast of the environmental advocacy group Green Berkshires said she, too, used to be a fan of wind power, but now believes the amount of energy produced isn’t worth the trade-off in noise, disruption, and commercial development of green areas.
“We are not going to be changing our energy profile in New England with 1,000 wind turbines, but we are going to be destroying our environment,’’ she said.
“If we are talking about sacrificing all our mountaintops for 5-6 percent of our energy needs, that’s not acceptable.’’
While wind-power has a place in our national movement toward renewable energy it is not for every situation. It would behoove wind power advocates to really listen to these people and take their concerns into account. Some of those concerns can be addressed with better locations. While other would require getting back to the drawing board in terms of better engineering. On the other hand one thing wind power opponents should understand is there are going to be trade-offs. Would they rather have a beautiful mountain’s top blown off for a coal mine or have a couple dozen wind turbines.
Global Tropical Forests Threatened by 2100
By 2100 only 18% to 45% of the plants and animals making up ecosystems in global, humid tropical forests may remain as we know them today, according to a new study led by Greg Asner at the Carnegie Institution’s Department of Global Ecology. The research combined new deforestation and selective logging data with climate-change projections. It is the first study to consider these combined effects for all humid tropical forest ecosystems and can help conservationists pinpoint where their efforts will be most effective. The study is published in the August 5, 2010, issue of Conservation Letters.
tangledwing 