What is Hydro-fracking?

Hydro-fracking is natural gas extraction. This is a method that allows for natural gas mining to be more economically friendly. The process increases the flow of water from a bed rock well by increasing the size and extent of the bedrock fractures. These fractures bring water to the well. This alternative is much more cost effective than drilling. Water is forced into a low yield water well at a high pressure and volume opening up and cleaning out the existing features in the bedrock.

Drilling companies add chemicals to the water and then drill. Theres a high chance these chemicals can contaminate our water. A lot of companies believe that hyrdo-fracking is a clean source of energy, when in reality a lot of methane is released into the atmosphere. Methane is one of the greenhouse gasses that is destroying our earth.

Regarding the use of fuel, the Obama administration issued new regulations that require manufactures of automobiles to increase the efficiency of cars being made. This has been leading these car manufactures down a newer route of creating more efficient ways for these cars to run. These companies are trying to reach 35.5 mpg in only a few year and still hope that by 2025 it can be 55 mpg. Millions of dollars has been used by the government in research on how to go about with these improvements.

The government is not the only place that is researching new ideas but the military has also being turning to new ideas such as radiators, air filters, etc.. They are also trying to find a way to use the heat that the trucks/ cars produce and turn that into a form of power.

Overall there are many new approaches being made to move these alternatives along.

Source:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/29/business/carmakers-back-strict-new-rules-for-gas-mileage.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2012/08/27/tough-government-gas-mileage-rules-good-for-drivers-auto-industry

Hurricane Sandy a category 3 storm, hit the Caribbean and mid-alantic and Northeastern United States during late October 2012. The storm estimated to have caused nearly $75 Billion (2012 USD) making it the second costliest hurricane. 285 people were killed along the storm in seven counties. When the sea level rises, because of global warming it causes the storm to be more destructive. Boston, NYC, and Norfolk are all places that increase four times faster than the global average. Human activities also contribute, they increase sea surface temps which increase the water vapor. This leads to more rainfall which means a much higher chance of flooding. Climate scientists have warned NYC before that climate change was dramatically increasing the odds of stronger storms.

These factors definitely contributed to Sandy being more destructive then planned but was not the main cause. Sandy fed off of unusually warm water temps in the Atlantic ocean and a high-pressure system that forced the storm to remain inland rather than cast out to sea. The winter storm coming in from the west only added to the issue making the storm disastrous.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Sandy

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=hurricane-sandy-spins-up-climate-discussion

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/how-global-warming-made-hurricane-san

Germany increased their share of electricity produced from renewable energy by almost 20 percent from 2000 to 2012. 26 Billion Euros were made within Germany’s renewable energy sector allowing for many new jobs within companies.  In 2011, 20.5% of Germany’s electricity was produced off of renewable energy sources.

Renewable electricity for Germany included wind power, biomass and biowaste, hydropower, and photovoltaic power. These sources are all produced the largest begin wind.

In 2009, Germany’s electricity came from coal, fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable sources. The usage of coal increased due to a power gap, which was created after 8 nuclear power plants were shut down because of the voted decision German officials made to phase out these plants in response to the disaster in Japan. In replacement coal burning plants needed to pick up the slack of what wasn’t begin nuclear produced.

German newspapers report that renewable energy is the reasoning to why there are increasing electricity prices and power outages, some so severe that companies are begin forced to close or relocate.  $130 Billion dollars have been backed by German taxpayers for solar energy alone.

Germany has been one of the only countries that has pushed this hard for renewable energy. If only there were a way  to cut the costs and increase the power made available from this method, the world as a whole would be better off.

http://reason.org/blog/show/germanys-green-subsidies-shutting-d

http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/50697

http://www.thegwpf.org/poland-czech-republic-ban-germanys-green-energy/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323751104578149144050909144.html