AIF Blog - Environment
February 22, 2013
As Secretary of Energy Steven Chu steps down from the Obama Administration and takes up a post at Stanford University (read news coverage), we look back at Dr. Chu's session at Aspen Ideas where he spoke with Ray Suarez about nuclear energy, coal, and natural gas, among other energy options. Loading the player...
October 30, 2012
Tonight’s episode of The Aspen Institute Presents explores the global challenges of population growth. As we approach 9 billion people, we will need more food produced in the next 40 years than we have produced in the past 8,000. With nearly 900 million people in the world currently lacking adequate access to clean water, water scarcity is an escalating concern and will likely become the next flashpoint for conflict...
July 26, 2012
Experts gathered at Aspen Ideas to debate whether or not the natural gas boom is doing more harm than good with its practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.In favor of fracking, Joe Nocera says natural gas is a tremendous gift that we should take advantage of.Joe Nocera of NY Times: Fracking Is a Tremendous Gift from on FORA.tvDeborah Goldberg contends that we are operating without the science to back it up...
June 29, 2012
Guest Blogger: Gwen Hopkins, Program Officer, Aspen IDEA Initiative, The Aspen Institute The pictures flash quickly: lush sea vegetation replaced by empty grey-blue seabed as carbon bubbles out of undersea vents. Reservoirs depleted too quickly, never to refill. Forests and mountains leveled for coal, deep sea oil rigs ablaze, the arctic ice cap visibly retreating. Dennis Dimick is answering the question posed to...
December 01, 2011
The news reported yesterday that SolarCity has received financing from Bank of America Merrill Lynch to install solar electricity systems on houses on military bases is perhaps even sweeter on the heels of the Solyandra bankruptcy. After failing to meet a deadline to get government loan backing, SolarCity and one of the country's largest banks pressed on to reach a deal. SolarCity will install solar systems on up to...
November 17, 2011
US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu is in the spotlight today as he testifies at a hearing held by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, about the government-backed loan guarantee to failed solar manufacturer Solyandra.In the short video clip above, Chu talks about where the phrase "glucose economy" came from and describes exciting technology for turning plant sources into fuels. Beyond traditional solar power, "...
October 20, 2011
How much of energy efficiency is about technology and how much of it is education and a change in our consumptive behaviors?"As we are constantly making escalators and light fixtures less expensive to operate, which is another way of saying more efficient, how do we put the frugality force in when we're constantly taking it away from the other side?" asks moderator David Owen.For starters, says Amit Chatterjee, "...
April 21, 2011
"A human tragedy and environmental disaster are continuing to unfold in the Gulf..." NOAA's Jane Lubchenco examining the Deep Water Horizon disaster, at AIF '10. Watch her discussion with Andrea Mitchell. Are we doing enough? What policy changes will make a difference?
April 15, 2011
Does “sustainable” mean 100% renewable? Does “renewable” mean “sustainable”? How much wind, water and sun will fuel our energy needs? According to World Watch: in 2008, the share of the world’s electricity generated from wind and solar power surpassed 1 percent—doesn’t sound like much, but double that of 2004…Several states in northern Germany now generate more than 30 percent of their electricity from wind energy...
April 12, 2011
Another three books for your pre-Festival reading stack!The Climate War, Eric Pooley. With impressive access to many of the key players, Pooley examines the issues and people involved in the struggle to cap global warming pollution.Power Hungry, Robert Bryce delivers a state-of-the industry overview of energy policy, with arguments about why some renewable energies are not a suitable solution.In The Emperor of All...