Blogs & Ecology

Image: milena mihaylova

Written by new contributor Chris Bowler

In the race to produce the best alternative to fossil fuels, there could soon be a new contender – sunflowers. Although already used to produce oil and biodiesel, some scientists believe these tall, colorful flowers can be used to produce ethanol as well.

Image: Energy Information Administration

Just when we thought there were no more new fandangled ways of deriving energy from our shriveling planet, Australia comes up trumps. Scientists there believe untapped geothermal energy locked in three miles below the Earth’s surface is a worthwhile and completely sustainable alternative to using fossil fuels.

It’s estimated that only one percent of Australia’s geothermal energy, which is often referred to as ‘hot rocks’, could produce up to 26,000 years worth of clean electricity.

Image by: andromega

Ever had a burning desire to know more about oil? Well, Neatorama have written a great post listing a load of weird and wonderful oil facts bout the precious liquid some people call, black gold.

Discover how much Saudi oil giant Aramco are really worth, what people did with worthless oil at the turn of the 20th century or what role dinosaurs really have in the production of fossil fuels:

When artist and environmental activist Jennifer Marsh realized there were over 200,000 abandoned gas stations marring the landscape across America she realized there was something simple she could do to make a statement; recycle one into art, and ask students the world over to help.

The idea being they just might make a statement simple enough to be understood by all.
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Noting Hawaii’s vulnerability to interruptions in their supply chain as the world’s most remote island chain, the first annual Blue Planet Summit took place last weekend in an effort to focus the energy of Hawaii, both natural and social, on the urgency of ending our dependence on oil and a push towards clean renewable energy.

Of course, what some may view as vulnerability may actually turn out to be its greatest strength. With the very isolation of the Hawaiian Islands making them an ideal laboratory for developing and evaluating the success of various renewable energy technologies like wave, wind, solar and geothermal power.
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