Graphene Revolution
Graphene has unique physical properties. It may be one of the strongest substances ever identified.
On that score, we’re still in the very early innings of understanding the technology that could come out of graphene. There’s plenty more to come from the world of graphene and future investment opportunities that we’ll discover over time.
Even early in the game this “super substance” represents an amazing opportunity for resource investors, considering the fantastic technical applications.
Will graphene replace silicon in computer chips? Yes, and it won’t take too long.
Graphene is thin, strong and electrically conductive. You can etch it. You can stack it and build whatever transistor you want to design.
“It is not only the thinnest material in the world,” says The New York Times, “but also the strongest: a sheet of it stretched over a coffee cup could support the weight of a truck bearing down on a pencil point.”
It’s not overstating the case to say that silicon is becoming obsolete. Somebody ought to tell the chip makers. OK, I’m just kidding — sort of. The chip makers know this. Indeed, you’ll eventually see graphene technology in common items like hand-held devices.
Can you add graphene to metal or plastic and make materials much stronger? I’m glad you asked, because you sure can. You can actually add graphene to molten metal and when it cools, the graphene crystals will align within the metallic crystal structure. It helps that graphene doesn’t even begin to break down until over 3,000 degrees Celsius — hotter than the melting point of almost any metal. So now you can have graphene-strengthened supermetals.
In fact, the head chemist for one company I’ve been following showed me a piece of boring old polystyrene plastic that he re-extruded and impregnated just with nanotubes — not even graphene. The stuff was nearly unbreakable. “This was just to prove up the extrusion process,” he said. “Now imagine how strong that’ll be when we add actual graphene.”
Using graphene, we’re talking about an entire new generation of supermaterials, with Star Trek qualities. In one back-of-the envelope calculation, we figured that a graphene-strengthened piece of plastic or steel just a fraction of an inch thick could offer the same protection as 8 inches of armor plate.
What else? How about alternative energy applications? Imagine graphene coatings on windows that, in effect, create solar panels with efficiencies over twice what people are currently getting from the best panels. Think in terms of solar cells with 75% efficiency and more. Maybe we really will see solar-powered skyscrapers.
From: http://dailyreckoning.com/graphene/
Solar Power Revolution Documentary
This takes the edge off the myths and dis-information about the solar industry and shows that a solar economy is much closer than we think. Next year, there are already rolling Giga Watts of solar cells on the conveyor belt. The industry has mastered the technology and the machines.
If it were up to the sun, we would have no energy problem. Every half hour on the Earth’s surface, there is more than enough light to provide energy needs for the whole world in a year. We don’t have an energy problem, we have a conversion problem. If we are able to harvest sunlight in smart way, then we can prevent a global energy crisis.
Space Travel On Earth – ET3
Evacuated Tube Transport (ET3) offers the potential for more than an order of magnitude improvement transportation efficiency, speed, cost, and effectiveness. An ET3 network may be optimized to sustainably displace most global transportation by car, ship, truck, train, and jet aircraft. To do this, ET3 standards should adhere to certain key principals: maximum value through efficiency, reliability, and simplicity; equal consideration for passenger and cargo loads; optimum size; high speed/high frequency operation; demand oriented; random accessibility; scalability; high granularity; automated control; full speed passive switching; open standards of implementation; and maximum use of existing capacities, materials, and processes.
Why ET3?
Transportation should be clean, green, fast, comfortable and affordable for all; It must also be financially sustainable on a global level. THE TIME FOR A NEW MODE OF TRANSPORTATION IS NOW!
WHAT IS ET3 and HOW DOES IT WORK?
ET3 is literally “Space Travel on Earth”. ET3 is silent, low cost, safe, faster than jets, and is electric.
Car sized passenger capsules travel in 1.5m (5′) diameter tubes on frictionless maglev. Air is permanently removed from the two-way tubes that are built along a travel route. Airlocks at stations allow transfer of capsules without admitting air. Linear electric motors accelerate the capsules, which then coast through the vacuum for the remainder of the trip using no additional power. Most of the energy is regenerated as the capsules slow down. ET3 can provide 50 times more transportation per kWh than electric cars or trains.
Speed in initial ET3 systems is 600km/h (370 mph) for in state trips, and will be developed to 6,500 km/h (4,000 mph) for international travel that will allow passenger or cargo travel from New York to Beijing in 2 hours. ET3 is networked like freeways, except the capsules are automatically routed from origin to destination.
ET3 capsules weigh only 183 kg (400 lbs), yet like an automobile, can carry up to six people or 367 kg (800 lbs) of cargo. Compared to high speed rail, ET3 needs only 1/20th the material to build because the vehicles are so light. With automated passive switching, a pair of ET3 tubes can exceed the capacity of a 32 lane freeway. ET3 can be built for 1/10th the cost of High Speed Rail, or 1/4th the cost of a freeway.
Green Gold – EcoVillages and Permaculture
Green Gold – Documentary by John D. Liu
A clear extraordinary path to sustainability…
“It’s possible to rehabilitate large-scale damaged ecosystems.” Environmental film maker John D. Liu documents large-scale ecosystem restoration projects in China, Africa, South America and the Middle East, highlighting the enormous benefits to people and planet of undertaking these efforts globally.
John D. Liu (environmental photographer), Geoff Lawton (designer of Permaculture), Jordanian Princess Basma bint Talal (permaculture enthusiast)
More information:
http://eempc.org/
What If We Change social media project:
http://www.whatifwechange.org
NIGER DELTA – MALI PROJECT: http://www.whatifwechange.org/index.php#/stories/158
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Greening the Desert
Geoff Lawton (designer of Permaculture)
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Dryland Permaculture Strategies
-Bill Mollison, Father of Permaculture
Bill Mollison Father of Permaculture Shares his Wisdom on Dryland Systems, to find out more about Bill and his work please visit; http://www.tagari.com
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Ecovillages and Permaculture: a reference model for sustainable consumption?
This is a documentary about ecovillages and permaculture seen from a sustainable consumption perspective. The intention is to show an example of lifestyles that take sustainability to the extreme, living and consuming in a way that causes minimum impact on the planet.
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Food Forest
by c2agriculture.com
Saving Lives through Clean Cookstoves: Ethan Kay
The BioLight is an amazing solution not just because of what it does, but HOW it does it.
What it will do is save millions and millions of lives around the world, half of which are under the age of 5.
It does this by providing a smoke free alternative to the toxic open flame and smoke that is currently used by almost half of the world.
It also provides enough electricity to power a cell phone, and lighting to do homework at night.
All from whatever natural fuel source is available, wood, cow dung, bio scraps, etc.
How it will sold and marketed is just as important…
As a full cultural integration… it will be presented to the tribal elders first.
From there it will integrate as a way to bring financial independence to tens of thousands that will sell, service and distribute.
It will be affordable… and have an average return on investment to the end user of less than 7 months.
Enurgy, Inc. will be supporting this project in some fashion in the very near future.
This is one of those products that will really make a difference in the world.
Pleaese watch the TEDx video below.
Peace,
Bruce
BioLite develops and manufactures advanced energy products that make cooking with wood as clean safe and easy as modern fuels while also providing electricity to charge cell phones and LED lights off-grid. We feel a strong sense of responsibility not just to develop products that work well but also to create businesses that make a positive contribution to the global community.
Ethan Kay:
Building on his doctoral dissertation, Ethan’s project as a Sauvé Scholar was to collaborate with BioLite to bring to market smokeless cookstoves for low-income families in developing countries. He helped BioLite design and develop its: channel partnership and scaling strategy; pilot programs; end-to-end value chain; and carbon financing model. He also plans to publish at least two articles in prestigious journals, focused on debunking the so-called ‘poverty penalty’ and codifying the common pitfalls of market-based poverty alleviation strategies. He also served as Lead Technical Expert on the World Bank’s 2012 ‘State of the Cookstove Sector’ report. Ethan had a 30-minute nationally televised interview on social entrepreneurship with Robert Scully on PBS; delivered a TEDxMontreal Talk on indoor air pollution and ultra-clean cookstoves; and gave several lectures at McGill’s Desautels Faculty of Management and Concordia’s Department of Communication Studies. He also submitted an article for publication debunking the so-called ‘poverty penalty’.
Reinvent Fire: Change Energy Use Forever
Reinventing Fire: Bold Business Solutions for the New Energy Era offers market-based, actionable solutions integrating transportation, buildings, industry, and electricity. Built on Rocky Mountain Institute’s 30 years of research and collaboration in all four sectors, Reinventing Fire maps pathways for running a 158%-bigger U.S. economy in 2050 but needing no oil, no coal, no nuclear energy, one-third less natural gas, and no new inventions. This would cost $5 trillion less than business-as-usual—in addition to the value of avoiding fossil fuels’ huge but uncounted external costs.
BRICS Summit showing a clear international move away from the US Dollar world currency
A new global lender moving away from the US Dollar world currency and the Bretton Woods agreements.
Looking at a joint BRICS bank moving away from the IMF, World Bank, The US Dollar and the Euro.
New international policies promoting peace instead of regime change.
Reforming the United Nations.
This is very huge folks.
Sustainable Business News
- Glyphosate Reduces Ocean Carbon Sequestration and Damages Coral Reefs – New Study
- French Food Safety Agency Publishes Devastating Report on GMO 2.0 in Agriculture
- Food Safety Experts Support Mexico as US Attempts to Overturn GMO Ban
- Global South Expert Groups Slam Unsafe GMO Wheat as Low Yield Failure
- US Court Revokes Approval of Dicamba in ‘Sweeping Victory’ for Farmers and the Environment