Yes, That Alaska

Windy coasts, untapped rivers, and huge tidal resources.

“Alaska Is a Frontier for Green Power”

“Alaska produces more oil than any state except Texas, but most of it leaves the state. Small markets and high transportation costs have kept local fuel prices high. As oil prices spiked last year, the state’s coffers overflowed with oil tax revenue, but the rising cost of diesel and other fuels became a local crisis. Gov. Sarah Palin and state lawmakers responded last year by pledging $300 million over five years in renewable energy grants to utilities, independent power producers or local governments. It is a substantial sum for a state with only 670,000 residents. ‘Oil used to be cheap and convenient,’ said Steve Haagenson, appointed last year by Ms. Palin as statewide energy coordinator. ‘Today, it’s just convenient.’” Written by Stefan Milkowski.

from The New York Times

DB notes:  Soon enough a story like this will not be news. 

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Recently on Take 2:  New Orleans of the Netherlands

 

 

 

Please, Not Another One

Irrelevant.

“The Environmental Problem of Phone Books”

“More than 500 million phone directories—nearly two books for every American—are printed and distributed every year in the U.S., taking with them some 19 million trees.” 

from Scientific American

 

New Orleans of The Netherlands

The next great flood?

“Before the Levees Break: A Plan to Save the Netherlands”

“The coastline and river deltas of the Netherlands are arguably the best-protected lowlands in the world, and the Dutch are a little miffed at Al Gore for suggesting in An Inconvenient Truth that their homeland is as vulnerable to rising seas as far less protected places like Bangladesh and Florida.” Written by David Wolman.

from Wired