Nuclear Power - Moratorium is fine; REAL answer is phasing out old plants

As my fellow greenies fight hard for moratoriums, I would ask the medical community to step forward and explain to politicians and the public the essence of the true solution, and that is rapidly phasing out the oldest, most dangerous atomic energy plants.

In the eastern GTA region of Ontario we have the Pickering plant, which was built in the 1960s using 50s technology, and we have Darlington, constructed in the 70s utilizing 60s technology. At the moment we are holding hearings on expanding Darlington, so tactically it is correct to fight for a moratorium at these hearings. If the government can place a moratorium on offshore wind due to primarily emotional concerns, then a clear mandate to postpone new nuclear plants should be within reach for the Liberals. It can be superbly argued on economic merits alone, as green energy creates far more jobs and export opportunities, and installs a more sustainable, equitable society.

Pickering was designed for 30 years of operation and I believe it's now been running for over 40 years, In the USA the situation is equally dire, as many plants are running at 110% of capacity, long after their shelf-life has expired.

In Ontario and significant areas of US northeast, we are faced with the opportunity to phase out BOTH coal and nuclear power, and by doing so assume a co-leadership position in the global green energy industry. States such as Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan could form a BIG FIVE Great Lakes Green Energy Initiative with Ontario, and co-ordinate a complete transformation of the area's grid, taking it off of coal and nuclear and onto wind, solar, biogas, geothermal and other renewable clean energy sources. Natural gas can be a valuable transitional fuel as we evolve an Infinite Energy-based Electro-Hydrogen Economy.

Having Lake Ontario and Lake Erie governments declare clear timetables for closing down coal-fired and uranium-fueled electricity plants would create thousands of new companies and lead to hundreds of thousands of new jobs over the next 5 to 7 years, injecting life and stability into many hard-hit, financially depressed communities.

Telephone and email your local, regional and national representatives to let them know you support phasing out toxic plants in favor of green energy industries development.

Supermoons link Japan earthquake with Indonesia and Haiti

2011 Japanese earthquake / tsunami and Supermoon connection

On February 18, 2011, there was a SuperMoon. On March 19/20, 2011, an extreme SuperMoon will occur. A major earthquake (8.9) and tsunami occurred on the Japanese coast of on March 11, 2011.


2010 Haiti earthquake and proximity to Supermoons

On December 31, 2009 there was a SuperMoon and one month later, on January 30, 2010 there was an extreme SuperMoon. Right in the middle of these two Supermoons, there was a major earthquake, a 7.0 event in Haiti on January 12th, that the country is still recovering from.

Supermoon near 2004 Indonesian earthquake and tsunami

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake. The resulting tsunami is given various names, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Asian Tsunami, Indonesian Tsunami, and Boxing Day Tsunami.

AccuWeather Facebook fanpage member Daniel Vogler adds, "The last extreme super moon occurred on January 10th, 2005, right around the time of the 9.0 Indonesia earthquake. That extreme super moon was a new moon. So be forewarned. Something BIG could happen on or around this date. (+/- 3 Days is my guess)"

Understanding Supermoons and Extreme Supermoons

Super Moon - A new or full moon at 90% or greater of its closest perigee to Earth has been named a "SuperMoon" by astrologer Richard Nolle.

Extreme Super Moon - Occurs when a Super Moon when passing closest to Earth. Specifically, an extreme "SuperMoon" is when the moon is full or new as well as at its 100% greater mean perigee (closest) distance to earth. By this definition, last month's full moon, this month's and next month's will all be extreme "SuperMoons".

History of Supermoons and global flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis

Accuweather.com blogger Mark Paquette article on Supermoons

New solar atlas of Los Angeles a valuable energy planning resource

Photovoltaic solar power potential of Southern California

UCLA's Luskin Center has released a crucial new study focusing on the plentiful photovoltaic solar energy resouces available in the Los Angeles, California region. The atlas (linked below) is designed to help cities and electricity utilities understand their own solar rooftop potential so that they may be better stewards of these resources. Each map presents the geographical distribution of solar potential across neighborhoods and parcels. The maps are accompanied by a description of how the solar potential varies across single- and multi-family residences, commercial and industrial parcels, and non-profit and government parcels since the economic benefits and policy incentives may vary accordingly. Because cost-effectiveness increases with the size of a solar installation, the atlas also presents, for each jurisdiction, the number of potential solar projects by size as well as the total rooftop potential.

Los Angeles County has over 19,000 megawatts of rooftop solar PV potential, while the City of Los Angeles has over 5,500 megawatts.* These maps, which are based on aerial photography of the solarusable rooftop space,** should be viewed as providing long-run estimates of rooftop potential.

Solar Energy Capacity Statistics of the City of Los Angeles

Area 484.3 square miles
Population 4,003,500 (2009 estimate)
Total Potential Sites 464,325
Commercial & Industrial 8.2%
Multi-family 20.9%
Single Family 70.1%
Government or Non-profit 0.8%

Median Rooftop Availability 14.5%
Median Potential of Parcels 3.6 Kilowatts
Median Solar Density Index 8.2%
Total Rooftop Solar Potential 5,536 Megawatts

View online pdf of City of Los Angeles Solar Atlas

Online Guide to Green Energy Investing: Stocks, Mutual Funds, ETFs

Please bookmark this page in your Favorites, for easy access to ethical green mutual funds, clean energy technology, sustainable investing and alternative energy exchange traded funds.

Renewable Power Stocks, Clean Energy technology websites and blogs

Top Green Energy Company Stocks List

Best Ethical and Green Mutual Funds ETFs

Geothermal Power company stocks symbols

Wind Energy Stocks to Watch

Solar Energy and Renewable Power companies links

PV Intell - Photovoltaic publicly-traded pv solar stocks

21st Century Architecture - Sustainable Green Buildings

Wind Intell wind power investing blog

Rare Earth Strategic Metals investing website

Water Intell - Water purification, tidal energy, wave power technology

A Green Realtor Sustainable Development resources blog

Next stage for China: Secular Humanism

Chinese leadership put the lie to communism a long time ago, yet the word remains in the name of the nation's largest political party. China is neither communist nor capitalist, it is China-ist, which can be roughly translated as "socialist."

I would venture to claim that China is already moving into secular humanism, and their foresight shown by the rapid expansion of green energy technologies will benefit both their image and economy. Previously I have xpounded on a plan for peaceful democratic evolution in China, and I continue to believe the leaders and people will both benefit more from channelling the democratic energy, rather than fighting it.

It is time for China to officially move beyond the outdated tenets of communism, and join the progressive forces on the planet, the secular humanists.

China needs to let Bob Dylan sing

Bob Dylan with the recently deceased Suze Rotolo

Dylan tour dates in Shanghai and Beijing under review

Last year Bob Dylan cancelled his entire Asian tour after the Chinese Government denied his application to perform in the country. Ya gotta admire Zimmy's fortitude, as he is right back at it and trying to play in China next month, April 2011.

Robert Allan Zimmerman (Dylan's birth name) is the greatest songwriter of the 20th Century, and of the modern era. China is a major world power, and this crucial artist's tour will be another indication of whether China as an emerging dominant nation is truly ready for the big leagues. Fifty years after the writing of Blowin' in the Wind, it's high time for Dylan to be allowed to sing in front of his Chinese fans.

7-point plan for peaceful democratic evolution in China