Go Green Radio

Currently, the world derives 86 percent of its energy from finite fuels: oil, coal, and natural gas. If we have not already reached peak oil production, we are close to it, meaning that half of planet’s oil supply is already gone. At some point, we will reach peak coal and natural gas production, as well. Renewable energy delivers less than one percent (1%) of the world’s energy supply, and is not being deployed on a scale to replace even a small percentage of the world’s current and projected energy needs for the future. As global population reaches an all-time high, the energy supply needed to feed, clothe, shelter, and provide work for all those individuals is in decline. How does a smart, forward-looking society plan for the inevitable changes inherent in this energy dilemma? Our guest, Richard Heinberg, senior fellow-in-residence at the Post Carbon Institute, will share his views on the matter as we discuss the book, ENERGY: Overdevelopment & the Delusion of Endless Growth.

Yearly plug-in vehicle sales increased 198 percent in 2012, and the number of available models in the U.S. market is expected to triple by model year 2015. Since entering the market just more than two years ago, more than 70,000 plug-in vehicles have hit American roads. Today we’ll be joined by Brian Wynne, President of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), to discuss both performance and public policy issues that impact the electrification of light transportation in the U.S.

According to my guests today, we may be witnessing the dawn of a new industrial revolution. But instead of raw ingredients like coal, steel, and lumber, this century’s boom is likely to be fueled by lithium, tantalum, vanadium, and a host of other rare earth minerals and metals. These are the elements that will make possible infinite vs. finite energy technologies, medical device advances, and communication capabilities that will touch all people around the globe. Because these elements are only feasible to mine from a few places on earth, there is the distinct possibility that supply of rare earth materials could become inequitable – if not contentious, and hence, the opportunities for countries to be part of the new global economic boom could be severely limited. My guests today are Ron MacDonald, former member of the Canadian Parliament, and Executive Chairman of Critical Elements Corporation; and Jean-Sébastien Lavallée,

Today’s guest is Karl Gawell, Executive Director of the Geothermal Energy Association. We will discuss how geothermal energy works, how it differs from other energy sources in cost and cleanliness, and how U.S. energy policy (or the lack thereof) impacts our nation’s capacity to fully utilize geothermal energy. Currently, geothermal plants generate less than 1% of total U.S. electricity, but according to a report released in 2006 from the Department of Energy, our domestic reserves of geothermal could supply our current rate of electricity consumption for 30,000 years! What are we waiting for?? Tune in and find out the latest news in geothermal energy development.

Military veterans know what it means to work hard. They have leadership skills, an ability to adapt, team-oriented values, and a desire to continue serving their country. That’s why they expect to find good employment opportunities after leaving the service. They want a job that is well-suited to their skills and interests, and allows them to take care of themselves and their family. But when it comes to finding those jobs, veterans may not know where to start. Veterans Green Jobs can help. Veterans Green Jobs’ employment program matches veterans’ military experience to the skills needed by green sector employers, links them to training programs to provide them with skills in key subject areas, and connects them with available jobs. Tune in to learn more about VGJ’s work to connect military veterans with meaningful employment opportunities that serve our communities and environment.

The global clean energy marketplace is expanding rapidly, but the competitive position of American industry is at risk because of increased competition abroad and uncertain policies at home, according to a report to be released Jan. 17 by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The study, Innovate, Manufacture, Compete: A Clean Energy Action Plan, states that revenue in the clean energy sector worldwide could total $1.9 trillion from 2012 to 2018. Yet roundtable discussions with more than 100 U.S. industry leaders reveal that the country is at a crossroads: Private investment, manufacturing, and deployment of renewable power have been constrained because of the lack of a long-term, consistent energy policy. To strengthen America’s global competitiveness in this growing economic sector, the report outlines several policy actions recommended by industry participants for the 113th Congress. Tune in as we discuss the findings and recommendations for federal policy makers.

Some of the leading voices in the American environmental movement restate the case that population growth is a major force behind many of our most serious ecological problems, including climate change, habitat loss, air and water pollution, and food and water scarcity. The new book, Life on the Brink, is a compellation of essays contributed by leaders in a range of disciplines, offering varied perspectives on hard issues regarding contraception, abortion, immigration, and limits to growth. Today we’ll be joined by one of the book’s contributors, Philip Cafaro, professor of philosophy at Colorado State University.

What do coal plants, volcanoes, and your breath have in common? Carbon emissions. Of course, there are countless examples of additional sources of carbon emissions – some natural, some man-made – but our planet’s ability to absorb all that carbon is strained, to say the least. Wetlands, forests and oceans are the systems that bear the greatest capacity to extract carbon from the atmosphere, but as Earth’s CO2 levels continue to rise, and forests and wetlands increasingly succumb to development, the ocean is left to do more of the heavy lifting when it comes to carbon sequestration. As a result, the ocean is becoming more acidic and more hostile to marine life. Even if you don’t eat seafood, the increased acidity of the ocean is having a negative impact on human life.

Yearly plug-in vehicle sales increased 198 percent in 2012, and the number of available models in the U.S. market is expected to triple by model year 2015. Since entering the market just more than two years ago, more than 70,000 plug-in vehicles have hit American roads. Today we’ll be joined by Brian Wynne, President of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), to discuss both performance and public policy issues that impact the electrification of light transportation in the U.S.

Currently, the world derives eighty-six percent (86%) of its energy from finite fuels: oil, coal, and natural gas. If we have not already reached peak oil production, we are close to it, meaning that half of planet’s oil supply is already gone. At some point, we will reach peak coal and natural gas production, as well. Renewable energy delivers less than one percent (1%) of the world’s energy supply, and is not being deployed on a scale to replace even a small percentage of the world’s current and projected energy needs for the future. As global population reaches an all-time high, the energy supply needed to feed, clothe, shelter, and provide work for all those individuals is in decline. How does a smart, forward-looking society plan for the inevitable changes inherent in this energy dilemma? Our guest, Richard Heinberg, senior fellow-in-residence at the Post Carbon Institute, will share his views on the matter as we discuss the book, ENERGY: Overdevelopment & the Delusion of Endless Growth.

We’re running low on clean water in the U.S., and that has a tremendous impact on our economy. Water-intensive industries like manufacturing and agriculture are feeling the pinch, but so is the energy industry. Permits for new coal plants in Texas are being protested by farmers whose crops are already parched with drought, because the farmers don’t want to compete for clean water with the energy plant. Downstream states are taking upstream states to court across the U.S. over water rights, and Las Vegas has offered to build San Diego a plant to desalinate the Pacific Ocean in exchange for a portion of its allocation of the Colorado River. Climate change is only exacerbating the problem, yet most Americans have no idea how fragile their water supply is. Tune in to hear Dr. Robert Glennon, professor of law and public policy at the University of Arizona, discuss this crisis and what each of us can do about it.

The global clean energy marketplace is expanding rapidly, but the competitive position of American industry is at risk because of increased competition abroad and uncertain policies at home, according to a report to be released Jan. 17 by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The study, Innovate, Manufacture, Compete: A Clean Energy Action Plan, states that revenue in the clean energy sector worldwide could total $1.9 trillion from 2012 to 2018. Yet roundtable discussions with more than 100 U.S. industry leaders reveal that the country is at a crossroads: Private investment, manufacturing, and deployment of renewable power have been constrained because of the lack of a long-term, consistent energy policy. To strengthen America’s global competitiveness in this growing economic sector, the report outlines several policy actions recommended by industry participants for the 113th Congress. Tune in as we discuss the findings and recommendations for federal policy makers.

The global clean energy marketplace is expanding rapidly, but the competitive position of American industry is at risk because of increased competition abroad and uncertain policies at home, according to a report to be released Jan. 17 by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The study, Innovate, Manufacture, Compete: A Clean Energy Action Plan, states that revenue in the clean energy sector worldwide could total $1.9 trillion from 2012 to 2018. Yet roundtable discussions with more than 100 U.S. industry leaders reveal that the country is at a crossroads: Private investment, manufacturing, and deployment of renewable power have been constrained because of the lack of a long-term, consistent energy policy. To strengthen America’s global competitiveness in this growing economic sector, the report outlines several policy actions recommended by industry participants for the 113th Congress. Tune in as we discuss the findings and recommendations for federal policy makers.

One of the drawbacks of solar and wind energy is the intermittency of power generation, and the inability of our current electricity grid to handle an inconsistent flow of electrons. If solar and wind power were coupled with large-scale energy storage capacity, this could create the steady flow of electricity that is optimal for our grid. One of the promising technologies for mass energy storage is vanadium flow batteries (VFB’s). Today we’re joined by the CEO of American Vanadium, a Canadian mining company preparing to launch operations to extract vanadium in Nevada. Currently, there is no other source of vanadium in the U.S. Tune in to learn more about vanadium, and why having a domestic supply of this critical element could impact national security.

For as long as anyone can remember, waste management in U.S. neighborhoods has been paid for by residents and commercial ratepayers. What would happen if we turned that system upside down, and required the companies that produce things that end up in our waste stream to deal with it? What do you think would happen to products and packaging if the producers had to take it back, disassemble it, recycle it, turn it into something new, or as a last resort, pay for it to be landfilled? It might result in less packaging, fewer disposable goods, more sustainable products. This concept is called “Extended Producer Responsibility,” and there are state and local governments already passing laws requiring EPR for certain industries. Tune in today as we talk with the Executive Director of the California Product Stewardship Council, Heidi Sanborn.

Today we’re joined by Marisa Miller Wolfson, director of the award-winning documentary, Veducated. Part sociological experiment and part adventure comedy, the documentary, Veducated, follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. Lured by tales of weight lost and health regained, they begin to uncover the hidden sides of animal agriculture that make them wonder whether solutions offered in films like Food, Inc. go far enough. This entertaining documentary showcases the rapid and at times comedic evolution of three people who discover they can change the world one bite at a time.

According to my guests today, we may be witnessing the dawn of a new industrial revolution. But instead of raw ingredients like coal, steel, and lumber, this century’s boom is likely to be fueled by lithium, tantalum, vanadium, and a host of other rare earth minerals and metals. These are the elements that will make possible infinite vs. finite energy technologies, medical device advances, and communication capabilities that will touch all people around the globe. Because these elements are only feasible to mine from a few places on earth, there is the distinct possibility that supply of rare earth materials could become inequitable – if not contentious, and hence, the opportunities for countries to be part of the new global economic boom could be severely limited. My guests today are Ron MacDonald, former member of the Canadian Parliament, and Executive Chairman of Critical Elements Corporation; and Jean-Sébastien Lavallée, President & CEO of Critical Elements Corporation. We will discuss breakthroughs

Can solar energy compete with cheap natural gas? Will the U.S. solar industry suffer without a reliable, domestic source of raw materials to manufacture solar panels? Will there be sufficient public and private funding for solar installations after the “fiscal cliff” plays out in Washington? Today we’re joined by Gary Gerber, founder & CEO of Sun Light & Power, to discuss the latest trends in solar technology and policy. Gary also serves as President of the board of the California Solar Energy Industry Association, a state wide non-profit organization working to support the solar energy industry, and is a co-founder of Build it Green, a statewide green building non-profit. Tune in to learn about solar’s future from one of the industry’s most respected veterans.

CONFESSIONS OF AN ECO-TERRORIST is the true, no holds barred story of 30 years of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) campaigns leading up to the hit show Whale Wars. It’s a feature documentary that reveals the true odyssey of the most wanted environmentalist today, Captain Paul Watson. Filmmaker and longest-serving SSCS crew member Peter Jay Brown documented the mythic deeds of the organization while acting as the cinematographer, first mate, deckhand, quartermaster, Zodiac driver and officer/captain in Watson’s absence starting in 1980. Peter Brown, a Sea Shepherd insider expertly exercises aikido with his camera by turning a negative accusation into a positive confession of influential activism. He gives us an intimate and honest look at what really goes on behind the scenes on some of the most infamous environmental campaigns ever.

In this episode we’ll take a look at what causes drought, how climate change may impact the intensity and frequency of droughts in the U.S., and what we can do to make our communities more resilient during extremely dry periods. We are joined by Steve Fleischli, Director of Water & Climate for the Natural Resources Defense Council, who will discuss a new report that rate each of the 50 U.S. states according to their disaster preparedness plans as they relate to water issues that are expected to be exacerbated by climate change. We’ll discuss strategies that drought-likely states can employ to optimally manage water resources under a variety of extreme weather scenarios.