Why are we feeding machines with fuel/energy from organic surces? Machines are not alive and can be fed with non-organic energy sources.
Wind, geothermal, hydro and solar energy/fuel harnessing systems have been with us almst as long as organic energy/fuel systems. This accounts for less than 2% of all energy consumption.
The Greeks built windmills on Mykonos. The Romans built bathhouses that tapped into the earth's geothermal heat. I made SUN-TEA in large glass jars filled with spring water & exotic loose-leaf teas. This is a flour mill near my home - where I was born. http://flickr.com/...
Non-organic fuel use should be expanded.
Whenever we use organic matter as fuel/food we leave a carbon footprint. Whether it's pile of carbon-rich feces or CO2 released to the atmosphere, it's still a carbon footprint or more colorfully, carbon-droppings.
If we are tired of the carbon 'feces' from our machines as CO2, we have to put our machines on a carbon-free diet.
It's as simple as that.
Why are we feeding machines with life or matter that once was alive? Machines are not alive and can be fed with non-organic/non-carbon energy sources.
The scientific definition of life always includes the chemical carbon being present. In fact, everything that is alive or once was alive on earth is referred to as carbon-based. This is in contrast to the possibility of life that is not based on carbon. [Non-carbon lifeforms are speculative. The definition of life was expanded when we began looking at the possibility of extraterrestial life; on other planets, in other galaxies, in other universes, in other dimensions/planes of existence]. Carbon is the finger-print of everything on earth that is now alive or was once alive.
Carbon is everwhere. Carbon loves to form bonds and very long chains of carbon. Carbon has been called the backbone of life.
Wiki on life: http://en.wikipedia.org/...
All the food you eat contains Carbon. Carbon is in trees. Carbon is in fossil fuels - because fossil fuels are derived from material that once was alive. Carbon is in the alternative energy sources from agriculture and GMO's we are creating for aternatives to non-renewable fossil fuels.
Again. Why are we feeding machines with organic/carbon fuels?? Machines are not alive and can be fed with non-organic/non-carbon energy sources.
Because organic/carbon-based energy is abundant!
It's as simple as that! We are rolling in biomass and fossilized biomass, so we mercilessly plunder the earth for it.
To think outside the box, you have to be able to place yourself outside of the box!
In the early 90's, I had a friend who was writing a children's coloring book. The book, "Earth Day Lessons From Planet Mars" by Sandra Frank Mosenson, was chosen to be on Al Gore's Earth Train. I was pleased when she listed my name in the Acknwledgements.
NASA has applied this same principle to its Space Station. Because there is no organic fuel, either biomass or fossilized biomass in space, NASA was forced to improve battery technology: the collection, storage, and distribution of battery-power. Solar power R&D is a priority for NASA because there isn't organic/carbon energy to exploit in space. It's as simple as that.
NASA uses solar power in space, collected, stored, and distributed by a battery.
http://www.newscientist.com/...
So what's holding up our changing from organic/carbon fuels to non-organic fuels?
On earth we think we have a never-ending supply of organic fuel. It's as simple as that. Organic/carbon derived fuels [biomass (trees, corn oil, etc.,) and fossilized biomass (coal, oil, etc)] are seemingly inexhaustabe.. We actually think that our only problem from using these carbon-fuels is the "carbon footprint" and global-warming.
We should begin to rethink this. Life as we know it, is fragile and finite. We must beyond conservation of organic/carbon fuel sources and strive for non-organic energy harvesting. Nature has given us the sun, the earth's molten core, the winds, and water...they all can be harnessed to work for us, and decrease pollution.
I love this 7 page tutorial that puts us in our place, in the cosmos.
http://wapi.isu.edu/...
We are literally the scum of the universe; a sliver of carbon-based life that's sprung up on the surface of planet earth.
If we are to prevent our extinction we should stop using organic/carbon fuel and develop battery technology that harvests solar power, wind power, geo-thermal power, and water/hydro power. Here are two articles about developments in batteries.
The pee-powered battery:
http://www.newscientist.com/...
And a diminutive battery used in a credit card that can only be used with the owner speaking the password; battery-powered voice recogniion
http://www.beepcard.com/...
There's alot of work still to be done with battery technology.
Battery technology is an area of research that should have more study and R&D dollars.
I would offer a prize, one trillion dollars - tax exempt - for the discovery of a battery technology that would fuel a car for one week of average usage; with a 5 minute battery-charge, in a battery the size of your cell-phone. That would get kids off their computer games and into science fairs!
Batteries require rare minerals [nee rare earth] like Lithium. The rare minerals are in limited supply.
Where can we find rare minerals?
http://www.science.org.au/...
How much do we consume?
http://www.science.org.au/...
How long will it last?
http://www.science.org.au/...
Wonderful map and graphs.
Last year NewScientist had the following article about rare earth reclamation/recycling.
This excellent article on how much rare minerals we have and how it's distributed: along with charts showing how many years of mining rare minerals we have left and has a solution. Rare minerals reclamation and recycling.
http://www.science.org.au/...
My proposal is:
- Change our energy policy by investing in non-organic fuels research and move from organic/carbon fuel harvesting; so that only 2% of the fuel we consume in the future will come from organic/carbon sources. That's inverse from our current fuel/energy policy.
- By electing legislators who value chidren and the children's educators.
- By electing legislators who value families and make laws that strengthen the family by providing for good paying jobs with benefits, safe communities and have a bread & butter agenda that keeps America working.
- By electing legislators who value the Constitution and who oppose the consolidation of power in government & Congress that takes power from the citizenry and gives it to the elected officials. Elect legislators who work to prevent the emergence of a political ruling class as evidenced by the seemingly intractable tenure of elected officials and their family business becoming politics 24/7/365 to the end of time.