Goal For The Green

Although it doesn’t feel like it here in Washington, ( only in the 40’s), it’s time to at least start thinking about making our homes all fresh and clean for the Spring and Summer months.

About a year ago to be exact, I spoke about Green Spring Cleaning Agents, to help you with that task.  There are some helpful tips there, that are cost free and available from your kitchen pantry.  Better yet, it’s more than likely you have these things on hand, without having to make a special run to the store to purchase cleaners.

Then there is the matter of the garage.  At least, I can park in mine, but there is plenty to get rid of.  I will more than likely, sort things, and start by having a garage sale.  What does’nt sell, I like to donate to my local Women’s Shelter.  Household goods are put to good use there, by women who are about to start their lives over, after leaving abusive relationships.

Another thing to do, is give  your things away.  Lyndi, over at Thrifty Creativity wrote an excellent post on freecycling.  She can tell you everything you want to know about, how you can get what you want, or need for free through The Freecycle Network.  Be sure to check it out.

My hope is that these tips and ideas will help you with these often dreaded and daunting tasks.  At least they can help you be more thrifty, frugal, and “green.”

Although money is a primary concern around the world, so is being responsible, frugal and sustainable. The folks at Valcucine have done just that.

To innovate through solutions that combine functionality and aesthetics is no longer sufficient. The conscious use of materials in a context that takes sustainability into account not only for the production process but also for the product itself is fundamental. Respect for the environment is the common denominator, the ethical imperative that is at the basis of all Valcucine’s projects.

The latest product news realized with the first 100% recyclable kitchen having a structure made of drawn, recycled aluminum. For its production, this material requires 20% of the energy required to obtain primary aluminum. The new glass base units’ system, INVITRUM, is easy to assemble and to disassemble because it is connected using only mechanical joints. The new and evolved structure with glass base units, slim and with formally very clean cut lines, has been designed to eliminate double side panels, that are also in glass and only 10 millimeters thick.

This solution, invented by Gabriele Centazzo, designer and managing director of Valcucine, allows for a remarkable decrease in the volume of materials used: this results in less waste of resources and energy. Lastly, the exclusive use of glass guarantees total recyclability of the unit, absence of glues and formaldehyde emissions as well as absolute resistance to water, steam and heat.

Be sure to visit the links to discover all that is happening with this innovative eco friendly company.  I enjoy both the surreal beauty and aesthetics of their products as I’m sure you will too.

We have been conditioned to believe that we are in the midst of a severe energy shortage.  Yet, if we were to take a closer look at Thorium, element # 90 on the Periodic Table, we would discover that we have more energy available than we will ever use.

Until he died, Dr. Petr Beckmann, ( Czech refugee from the Nazis) spent much of his career in America promoting nuclear power.  Unfortunately, he was treated as demon by the environmental movement, and much of his work was ignored.

Many green leaders are now admitting to the mistake of rejecting this clean, safe and relatively cheap technology. President Obama, has promised to make energy conservation and the environment among his top priorities.   He has chosen several “climate change” activists to serve as his top officials.   Among them is, Harvard physicist, John Holdren as his presidential science advisor.  He could have a huge impact on our country’s future energy policies.  In his career he has focused on climate change,  nuclear disarmament, and next generation nuclear energy.

As we know it today, nuclear power is obsolete.  Currently our light water reactors use uranium-235.  Not only is this fuel expensive, but it’s byproducts create political problems. The byproducts are a hot topic, because they can be used to create nuclear weapons.  The very reason we adopted uranium-235, was because America needed the materials for nuclear weapons.  Our power plants at the time, provided those materials, thus pushing aside the more superior fuels such as thorium.

Pluses for thorium, is that it is by far more abundant than uranium-235.  Thorium reactors do not produce hazardous waste materials that are useful in manufacturing nuclear weapons.  The waste is far less hazardous and much cheaper and easier to dispose of.  In general, thorium reactors are safer to operate because they produce little radioactive threat outside their shielding.  In fact, thorium reactors cannot experience a catastrophic meltdown.  The fact that thorium plants can’t melt down, suggests that the total energy cost to operate would be much lower.

Another plus, is that thorium reactors can be almost any size.  There have been prototypes made small enough for military aircraft.  This fact alone, makes them more feasible for developing countries to afford, saving the cost of a large-scale infrastructure. They would also be much more appealing internationally, because they cannot be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.  To learn more about thorium energy, read this.

It is my hope that the Obama administration, will reduce reduce barriers to the production of thorium, by taking a serious look at the positive impact it can make.  A shift to thorium as a source of energy, could help create “green jobs”, facilitate economic recovery,  and help environmental and nonproliferation causes.

Update:http://www.energyfromthorium.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7t=1258

If you have any further questions about Thorium there is a very active discussion found at the link above.