It's interesting, but it's efficiency is only 40%, and that would be after other conversion losses and heat loss, as I doubt you would have perfect containment of the heat. Would be interesting to hear how long an installation of the size they describe could run for. Might be good in desert areas with endless solar potential, just as a nightly battery.
For those new to the topic of climate change or just looking for a refresher, here are three videos that explain climate change in a very well presented way. The third video does a good job of explaining why trusting the experts is the correct thing to do.
Language warning on this one:
NSFW!
Please note that this should not be construed as me putting undue pressure on anyone to watch these in their entirety. If you don't have 90 minutes to spare, don't watch them I guess. This post is meant for those who have a real interest in growing and/or refreshing their knowledge on this topic.
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Leave it to the economist to bring this up like it's some kind of new idea. Like, come on. Anyone with a clue knows that lawns are a huge waste of water and a symbol of our society's ridiculous infatuation with waste and self-destruction. Shameful and embarrassing.
Thanks for posting, this was definitely an interesting video.
Here is where the video lost me a bit though, right around the 13:30 mark where he attributes massive increases to life expectancy, world population, world GDP, and then verbally- sanitation systems and agricultural developments, not to mention all those inventions he displays before all this- he attributes all these things to science.
I think he is partially wrong and ignores a massive part of why human development is the way it is. I think so much of the above is attributable to the rise of- you guessed it- fossil fuel use. This is the problem with climate change and the recommendations posed to global societies writ large.
How are we supposed to maintain- I mean set aside improve, but just maintain- standards of living, global GDP, world populations and life expectancies without fossil fuel use?
I am all for suggestions and improvements to energy systems, invention, new ways of living and hell even new societal establishments but if this implies that we are 20 or 30 years out from some kind of phase out of fossil fuels I just can't buy into that. Fossil fuels is what has enabled the spur of invention, devices, plastics, food, medicines, transportation systems, computing systems, communication, health care and education systems, broad economic stimulus in modern economies and societies that have industrialized. Science is no doubt, absolutely, a part of that- a very crucial part of that, but it is on the back of fossil fuels that enabled all of this.
That's the juxtaposition and problem whenever you hear people say "no fossil fuels" because all I hear is that they are willing to risk killing more people than climate change might. Starvation and heating homes and societal stability are critical things too so it should not shock idealogues that there are some- in the words of the video- healthy skepticism- especially in the face of this uncertainty the author notes.
Alaska shut down the crab industry for the season, yesterday. No gathering snow or king crab. Population has suddenly declined by approx 90% in some parts.
Leave it to the economist to bring this up like it's some kind of new idea. Like, come on. Anyone with a clue knows that lawns are a huge waste of water and a symbol of our society's ridiculous infatuation with waste and self-destruction. Shameful and embarrassing.
LOL wow. I guess Pepsi isn't the only one with an unhealthy dislike for lawns.
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LOL wow. I guess Pepsi isn't the only one with an unhealthy dislike for lawns.
The issue is that phase out of fossil fuels in 30 years is a requirement. If we don't, billions of lives are at stake [I]forever[I], and you can't undo the damage. You keep saying that phasing out fossil fuels will kill more than climate change, but I think there's zero studies to back that up.
The whole point is we have to figure out the way because there is no alternative and that's what we're in the middle of. It's not impossible, you might not be able to see it now, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.
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Not really. I'm not one of those people with underground systems that water every day or two which are the vast minority in this city. I water once a week or less depending on the amount of rain we get. I just find that hilarious to see it lumped in with self-destruction.
Not really. I'm not one of those people with underground systems that water every day or two which are the vast minority in this city. I water once a week or less depending on the amount of rain we get. I just find that hilarious to see it lumped in with self-destruction.
So, you put 100s of gallons (admittedly, in this post) of treated, potable water, on your grass over the course of a summer.
Tell me, what exactly is it that you do on your grass? Actually, let's start with the math for fun. Do you estimate say, 15 minutes of watering per attempt? Or slightly more?
I'm curious why you don't see this as potentially destructive.
The issue is that phase out of fossil fuels in 30 years is a requirement. If we don't, billions of lives are at stake [I]forever[I], and you can't undo the damage. You keep saying that phasing out fossil fuels will kill more than climate change, but I think there's zero studies to back that up.
The whole point is we have to figure out the way because there is no alternative and that's what we're in the middle of. It's not impossible, you might not be able to see it now, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.
We obviously can't phase it out now - but the idea we can't figure out a way to greatly reduce fossil fuel use seems unlikely. We at one point were using coal to power everything and we've moved away from that a lot. We'll figure out a way to reduce oil usage as well.
No one making serious decisions is saying cut the fossil fuels off tomorrow so we can all go back to living in squalor.
Not really. I'm not one of those people with underground systems that water every day or two which are the vast minority in this city. I water once a week or less depending on the amount of rain we get. I just find that hilarious to see it lumped in with self-destruction.
Even if your watering is average multiply that by the millions of homes in this country. Think of all the water, fertilizer, and mowing that is done for something that is merely decorative. How is disliking that waste of energy and resources unhealthy?
We should be able to get to a point where we can all agree on how useless lawns are. It'd be far more beneficial to have that area as garden if you're going to be watering it, or deep rooted shrubs/trees which don't require regular watering.
Grass doesn't provide anything, nor is it a carbon sink.
I water mine only in really dry periods, and mostly for the trees and shrubs. Even this summer, I think I did 1 hour x 4 times. And no way is 13 GPM coming out of my sprinkler....maybe 5.
But I didn't install the lawn, and I've gradually been converting it. Just doesn't make much sense to spend a bunch of money(and emissions) tearing it up and replacing it with something else.
So, you put 100s of gallons (admittedly, in this post) of treated, potable water, on your grass over the course of a summer.
Tell me, what exactly is it that you do on your grass? Actually, let's start with the math for fun. Do you estimate say, 15 minutes of watering per attempt? Or slightly more?
I'm curious why you don't see this as potentially destructive.
What am I destroying? I'm not using ocean water to water my lawn.
