Rachel Barlow - January 24, 2012

"Green sidewalk makes electricity - one footstep at a time" 
The purpose of this presentation was to try make people aware of an extremely innovative new technology that harnesses energy from footsteps, and to try encourage them to think of the possibilities technologies like these possess in helping fuel our ever-expanding need for energy. 


Discussion questions: 

• How many footsteps does the average person take in their lifetime? 150 Million
• What are the pro/cons of PaveGen?
• Can you see this technology being implemented at MA/in other areas of Marin? Why/Why not?
• Do you think that PaveGen will be cost effective?

Follow-up research: 

• PaveGen tiles are most effective in generating energy for off-the grid uses such as speakers, displays. advertising, street lighting, and alarms. 
• The tiles are capable of generating 2.1 watts of electricity per hour Each PaveGen tile supposedly has the durability to last 5 years, or 20 million steps
• (http://coloradoenergynews.com/2012/01/colorados-solar-energy-future-local-or-corporate-power/) 
• PaveGen tiles are manufactured within 200 miles of the company's main office, which helps reduce transportation-caused emissions  
• (http://inhabitat.com/award-winning-pavegen-floor-tiles-will-use-energy-from-footsteps-to-light-up-uk-shopping-center/) 

Image: 

source -  http://www.gizmag.com/pavegen-tiles-kinetic-energy-harvesting/20235/picture/145468/

Presentation resources: 

article - http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/13/tech/innovation/pavegen-kinetic-pavements/index.html

1st video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_n2gznONvI

2nd video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sp2QiKATwY&feature=related

Adam's January 18th News Report

Gray Wolves restore Yellowstone:

Discussing the hugely beneficial impact of reintroduced Gray Wolves on Yellowstone National Park and the feasibility of implementing this model for reintroduction of large predators in parks across the nation

Discussion Questions:

·      Should Gray Wolves be taken off of the endangered species list in Wyoming?

·      Is the evidence in Yellowstone concrete enough to be used as a basis for reintroduction of natives species across the country, and should wolves and other large predators be brought back?

·      Is reintroduction of Wolves and other large predators worth the cost?

Additional Information:

• "The cost of the reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park (YNP) in 1996 was $267,000. Seventeen gray wolves were introduced that year. It should be noted that Congress cut appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service expressly to prohibit the reintroduction. Private conservation groups were able to raise $100,000 which allowed the project to proceed."
• http://www.bioethics.iastate.edu/classroom/graywolf.html
• In 1996 the annual income for the Yellowstone area was $4.2 billion 
• http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/03/wolf-wars/chadwick-text
• http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/03/wolf-wars/wolf-illustration
• illustration of the park before and after the reintroduction of Gray Wolves
• http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/
• Druids of Lamar
• Big Bad Gray Wolf
• http://www.local10.com/news/Wolves-help-Yellowstone-researchers-say/-/1717324/7649292/-/vsy45y/-/

Resources:

see additional information section for links

Jen's News Report 2

Jennifer Katz January 11, 2012

Ohio Fracking Related to Earthquakes

Purpose: The purpose of my presentation was to let people know about the situation in Ohio related to hydraulic fracturing or fracking and how it is causing earthquakes. There have been 11 earthquakes in 2011 in Youngstown Ohio, a town where there had never previously been an earthquake. It was discovered that these were probably due to the injection of waste waters produced from local fracking wells that were putting pressure on a fault line deep within the earth. It raises the question of how we can go about getting clean energy in a safe way.

Discussion Questions:

1.     How does this affect your view of natural gas? Do you think it should be pursued to end our dependence on foreign oil?

2.     Can you think of any solutions to this problem? Are there other places to store the waste material?

3.     If you were the governor of Ohio, how would you proceed? Would you close the wells (and the economic opportunities that go with them)?

Links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKB5AGEyKso

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/02/us-usa-quakes-wells-idUSTRE8010GW20120102

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45903873/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.Twpe4b-Zkdo

Picture