L.A. Times Interview: J. Craig Venter

In this Q&A Venter describes the possibility of using genetically modified organisms to create new fuel sources.

an excerpt:

"We're trying to design cells that produce unique renewable fuels. We have one of those in extensive testing now that could be one of the first green jet fuels. Hopefully there'll be hundreds of these. With this breadth of biology, we have the capability of probably making any chemical out there. It's not hard even to imagine gasoline or octane that we put into our tanks. Bacteria can make that."

yet another piece on Nordhous & Shellenberger...

In this profile, which hails the Break Through authors as "the bad boys of environmentalism," Nordhaus even works in a reference to our old friend Thomas Kuhn. And, of course, here's the link to their blog.

Three Gorges Dam

This article on the environmental impact of the Three Gorges Dam provides an interesting post-script to J.R. McNeill's discussion of ambitious dam-building projects in Something New Under the Sun. And this article highlights the growing use of small scale hydroelectric power in the U.S.

Innovators in Green Technology: Profiles of Fuller, Brand, & Lovins

To supplement our discussion yesterday, here are some profiles of Buckminster Fuller, Stewart Brand, and Amory Lovins.

Go Nanosoloar

In this article, an environmental news website details the power of Nanosoloar technology. When I read this article it immediately reminded me of the potential for humanity to overcome the limitations of natural resources with new technologies (for example, the nitrification process or genetically modified crops) and as of now this new technology promises to be environmentally and economically friendly-a combination that could produce positive results.

NYT: Challenges to Both the Right and Left on Global Warming

This article describes an emerging consensus on the reality of global warming and the changing debate on what to do about it.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Part Deux)

This is a great video for the non-believers.

P.S. Thank you for the articles Ayora, guess I was wrong (maybe...).

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Here is an article from the San Francisco Chronicle that describes the GPGP, an enormous pile of garbage located between San Francisco and Hawaii weighing 3.5 million tons and twice the size of Texas!

Radioactive Nimby: No One Wants Nuclear Waste

Here is an article from today's New York Times exploring the chief unresolved challenge to nuclear energy: where to put the waste. In the American southwest, plans to store radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada have run into serious opposition, and other examples of the Nimby (Not In My Back Yard) drama are being played out around the world.

GreenTechMedia.com

Here is a site dedicated to news about venture capital and green technology.

New Information Technology meets New Energy Technology

In this column Thomas Friedman considers the broad possibilities of a convergence between the I.T. and E.T. sectors. This article about a solar powered I.T. center in India is a specific example of this convergence.

Edward Abbey

Here is a short video on Edward Abbey to supplement this week's handout.