BLOGGING ARTICLES

Dover Read asked:

Man has harnessed the FREE power of the wind for thousands of years via sails on a sailing ship, and for now the wind is still free therefore why are we not harnessing the power of the wind more?

We have giant coal fired power stations spewing great quantities of carbon into the atmosphere and nuclear power plants that have the potential to spew who knows what into the atmosphere, and yet we as a society go along with this. The general public can see the folly in this, but still allow big corporations and the politicians that receive campaign donations from these large corporations to continue to operate these monsters.

Why not harness the power of the wind to generate power, after all the wind has been around since the beginning of time and will continue until the end of time. That is more than can be said for the non-renewable energy sources that we are now using up at an alarming rate.

The problem up until recent times has been that renewable energy has been expensive to produce, but with the rising cost of fuel oil and gas, renewable energy is becoming a viable alternative now. Also more research is being done to help reduce the cost of renewable energy.

What most people don’t realize is that a wind powered generator can be produced very cheaply by a person that possesses a few home handyman skills. So if a person can generate power from a windmill cheaply and the energy to drive it is free, gee even a politician should be able to understand the benefit that provides to society. I am sure there will be a committee set up to determine how government can tax the people for wind power.

A single wind turbine is probably not going allow you to disconnect from the power grid, but if you generate part of the power that you use for free, then you are not only helping the environment but also your finances. There is always the option of building more than one turbine or maybe a bigger turbine to generate most if not all of the power that you need.

I am sure that you are like me and worry that during the last 100 years (which is such a small part of history) we have decided to use all this non renewable energy, with not much thought for the next 100, 200, 500 years, yet most of us have literally on our doorstep a renewable source of energy - lets use it.

Ornesha De Paoli asked:

Ken Daniel, of Security Advisors Worldwide, or SAW, a renewable energy security advisory company contracted by Jetstream Wind, Inc. recently returned from the island of Haiti.    

I understand that you and Security Advisors Worldwide had a very successful trip to Haiti.  There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of media coming from this nation as to the daily lives of Haitians, the environmental issues they face, or the energy issues they’re looking at.

So that we can have a better picture, can you begin by talking about what it’s like for average citizens in Haiti on any given day?

Mr. Ken Daniel: 

On an average morning in Haiti, people there don’t wake up to the possibility of electricity like we do here. They pretty much use coal to warm themselves in the morning. There also aren’t the refrigeration capabilities like here in the states, so they walk to the market everyday to get whatever food they can prepare and eat that given day.

As far as the issue of water goes, in the capitol of Port-au-Prince there was some running water, and I would see people on the exteriors of buildings filling up their water containers. But out in the rural areas, it’s more difficult and being pumped out of wells.

Along the roadways are fifty-five gallon plastic drums filled with water. Haitian citizens basically walk some distances to these to get their daily water since there aren’t many vehicles owned by private citizens.

There’s obviously not a large availability of electricity in Haiti, which seems odd in this day and age. Where does this issue stem from?

Ken: 

There’s a hydro-plant that rests in-between Port-au-Prince and Hesh. It was actually built by Americans in the early part of the last century and has been around for a very long time. Put simply, it’s just old and doesn’t kick out enough power.

All of the power lines that we take for granted here in the US, actually have cobwebs growing on them in Haiti. And then, with the bad weather, hurricanes and such, there were numerous poles leaning at 45 degree angles with wires coming out of them.

The only real power was in the capitol of Port-au-Prince and it goes off regularly. Mostly though, what I saw were people with candles and bags of coal to cook their food. Really, unless you are a person with a little bit of money and can afford to be affluent, you can’t rely on the comfort of being able to depend on electricity.

With the hurricane situation, the lack of food and good shelter, renewable energy quite possibly could be the key to bringing in some the needed electricity to help with the situation.

This would be the first renewable energy technology being developed on an island, which is monumental. Would it be more difficult creating wind, solar, or hydrogen power on an island in the middle of the ocean as opposed to it being developed on a mainland?

Ken: 

In this particular place, almost everything that is needed can literally be brought to the land. With hydrogen technology for example, an area of land is cleared where it won’t require much manipulation as this technology is easily able to be placed. An added benefit to that is there won’t be any deforestation.

With solar technology, another small piece of land within a vast spread of land is cleared and the technology placed upon it. Lines won’t have to be ran over long expanses of land for fuels, diesel, or natural gas. There won’t ever be an oil spill or pipes in the ground that corrode.

So it doesn’t seem to be too difficult. Exporting equipment out of the United States and importing to an island would be the main issue to be dealt with. Jetstream Wind would have to look at building an airstrip so that they can cargo fly equipment in. Most building materials would have to be imported from the U.S., which is 300 miles off the coast of Miami, and would either come in by cargo plane or shipped in by sea.

It would be a benefit to take the time and see if there was anything available on the island that can readily be used, salvaged and recycled.

The terrain in Haiti (being an island) is more than acceptable. There are mountains, which means the wind is constantly blowing across them. There’s plenty of sunshine shining on the hills that are vast, rounded and able to be navigated. Even the new hydrogen technology can easily be implemented there.

If Haiti were to bring renewable energy in, it could be put anywhere. It wouldn’t have to be placed in a major metropolitan area, and the power from the renewable energy plant(s) could run to the pre-existing grid. The hope would be, however that Haiti itself would help to re-build the infrastructure so that all of this power could get to the homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and other places where electricity is vitally needed.

The truth is that they would have to wait far longer to get any other type of an energy program in, such as coal for example. There are also some pretty severe issues with deforestation happening at present, and so I would think that renewable energy is really the only way to go for Haiti right now.

Looking at the environmental impact of renewable energy on Haiti, would you say that there would be any, at all, created from this technology?

Ken: 

As compared to a coal-fired plant here in the United States, no, other than having to clear small pieces of land to put things on.

There are many countries that simply have to have energy right now, and this is by far the cleanest way to get it. Nuclear is not the answer. It leaves a long-standing residue as a result of that power. Natural gas and coal also lead to numerous environmental concerns.

The fact is that we can’t rely on oil for our needs any longer and I don’t want to see any more damaging changes in the land. This won’t. And the residue from this technology won’t be a bigger burden for the Earth. What’s cleaner than water?

But it really doesn’t matter what country it’s in as far as getting the renewables to work for people. It’s the technology that Jetstream Wind has that hits the central point of this whole thing. In other words, if the technology can get there and the transmission lines can get ran, then this can work almost anywhere.

Working through the issues of basic infrastructure, transmission, politics, and environment, a company like Jetstream Wind is the right answer for those people.

Did the Haitian government welcome you and the possibility of a Jetstream Wind collaboration?

Ken: 

Yes. I was treated very well. I was able to meet with the US Ambassador to Haiti, the advisor to the President of Haiti, several Prime Ministers, and the necessary others that would become involved should we all come together and build a renewable plant there.

Other than simple barriers with the French-Creole language, it was a very successful meeting and everyone was excited. It went from one meeting to five or six, with them wanting me to speak with as many leaders as possible in my short time there.

This is a major project of which Jetstream Wind would probably want to share some sort of responsibility. How deeply would the country of Haiti be involved and responsible in re-powering their nation?

Ken: 

The United States created a bailout for the auto industry. The country of Haiti will possibly need to create a financial bailout for their energy problem. They’re probably going to have to put some money into the system to start readying themselves for this type of project.

Having the years of experience in large military operations, I’ve learned to back-plan for anything. In other words, I can see the end result, but before I can get there I have to first go all the way back to where it begins. It begins by asking questions…a lot of them.

In order for renewable energy to be a reality in Haiti, the Haitian government has to ask themselves some questions so that Jetstream Wind and Security Advisors Worldwide can do our jobs.

How will they find the necessary people needed for this large of a project? How will they train these people? Where are the people located and where is the transportation going to come from to move these people? How will they communicate?

There is a lot of work to be done from taking out old transmission lines and putting in new ones, to breaking ground on the energy plant itself. Power poles will be placed on every block. New construction companies will be built, taking into account everything that goes with that including the huge amount of labor needed.

We can also take into account the education necessary to work with a project of this type, creating a national boost in knowledge. Anything from taking down a power line to managing a company with the large workforce will have to be covered.

It’s not only about the end result of the plant supplying renewable energy to the people. It also includes the entire scope of the process beginning with Haiti’s choice and ability to prepare for it.

In seeing the potential, meeting the representatives, and observing the culture, what is the one thing that you come back with?

Ken: 

I come back with the insight that the country of Haiti is only a two and half hour flight from Miami. It’s not so far away that we can’t touch it with our assistance.

Little kids are walking distances, carrying the water they needed for the day. You have to remember we as a human race have also been to the moon. We’re building a space station. How is it possible that an island, so close to the United States is in the situation it is?

This has the capacity of creating and developing a whole new job infrastructure and economy. It is a prime example of renewable energy quickly effecting the situation for the better.

The capability is there to get it done. The land is there, the people are motivated, and the technology is ready to go. With the help of the Haitians in getting the infrastructure ready, a whole new way of life can arise from this for the people of Haiti, and also the same possibility for other people and nations all over the world.

What strikes me the most from our conversation about renewable energy is its ability to cross borders, boundaries, cultures, political policies, and even world religions without leaving heavy footprints of various unwanted agendas.  

Thank you once again, Ken, for sharing this information showing how people and technology can come together to create a clean, economically stable world for our future and our children’s futures. 

Click here if you would like more information about Security Advisors Worldwide (SAW).

Ornesha  De Paoli

Green Ascension ~ Evolving People on an Evolving Planet

Richard Chapo asked:

Wind power is considered a renewable energy source because it will be with us as long as the sun beats down on the planet. Wind is a creation of heat produced by objects warming up under the relentless rays of the sun. Certain objects warm up faster than others. When this occurs, wind is created. As hot air rises off the hotter objects, cooler air rushes in to fill the gap. This rushing process is, of course, wind.

Wind power has long been of interest to scientists and energy companies. It is relatively cheap and can easily be tied into the current utility grids that feed power to nations. The question with wind power has always been how to generate enough energy from wind power to make it feasible. The entire discussion comes down to wind turbines.

Wind turbines are the devices that catch the wind and convert the inherent energy into electricity. The process works exactly like a hydropower dam. As the wind hits the turbines, the blades catch it and spin. The spinning motion then cranks a turbine, which kicks out electricity. The only difference between the two processes is we are talking about wind instead of water.

A single hydropower dam can produce a lot of electricity, but a single wind turbine cannot. Why? Well, the water rushing through a dam is condensed under the weight of itself. When it is released into the generator shutes, it also runs at a near vertical angle to maximize the speed of the water and generator cranking output. With wind, both of these factors are non-existent. One cannot really harness the wind to really power up a wind turbine. Instead, one has to install dozens and even hundreds of turbines to generate significant amounts of electricity. As you might imagine, this can cause problems.

The biggest problem with wind power is the number of turbines needed to produce enough electricity. While the turbines have grown more efficient and larger, one still needs significant numbers to produce enough tangible energy. The two primary solutions are old and new. The old solution is to find great swaths of vacant land for the turbines. With growing populations, this is still relatively difficult and expensive. The new solution is to build wind farms at sea. This makes much more sense since the wind on the ocean is nearly constantly there and the “land” isn’t costly.

At the end of the day, experts estimate wind power will account for upwards of 20 percent of all our energy needs in the next two decades. With further refinements and the use of offshore platforms, the number could be much higher.

Chris Okafor asked:

Galway, Ireland- Racism In Taxi Industry

Most times, expression without impression often gives rise to depression and as such, I am both impressed and depressed by an article written by one Yousef Loughnane on the above subject matter (Galway Advertiser, the 9th Nov, 2006).

I am impressed that someone like this writer has taken it upon himself to speak out and depressed that this ugly trend is happening in Galway City, which has been applauded for its continuous fight against racism.

The word racism is very ambiguous one, which is often inexplicable. There are different types of racism such as prejudice, discrimination, and economic as well as same race. Those involved in its practice with their ethno-centric based oriented views have one thing in common “hatred” Here is the big question: Is there any correlations between racism and discrimination? The answer is that both words are inter-related and sometimes because of ones colour or background, whenever you are denied of something from someone that is not of the same race with you, there is a great tendency for one to cry foul.

I honestly do not believe that the reason why I could not get the job I applied for in most establishments here especially from 6 months trained HR personnel who cannot construct other form of English except “We regret to inform you that we do not have position relevant to your qualifications” is primarily because of my colour. This could have 99.9% racial of racial attachment, which, invariably depends on the context under which it was written or individual perceptions.

Between January to June 2006, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) in absence of official statistics recorded series of reported incidence relating to racism in Ireland some of which was said to have been forwarded by non-governmental organisations on behalf of the victims. These include key organisations working with Travellers, Refugees and Asylum Seekers and Migrants. Most victims have reported other incident directly to NCCRI.

Within these 6 months, there were 25 ****** incidents reported and compiled by the NCCRI of which 75% are reportedly occurring in greater Dublin area. Majority of these incidents were targeted on adults, both male and female and in most cases, children were present. Their findings indicated that people of all ages and gender are experiencing racism in Ireland.

Statistics further revealed that racism is being experienced regardless of ones legal status. Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Travellers and Non-EU citizens including people visiting as tourists are not spared.

It is, however, disheartening in case of African Taxi drivers, most of whom must have spent between 4-5yrs in pursuit of excellence in the university from their respective countries. Some of them had come to Ireland as asylum seekers and by twist of faith; they were given unconditional permission to remain in the state and fend for themselves. They have resorted to driving taxi and without recourse to their qualifications after all efforts to use their hard earned degree to secure a gainful employment became counter-productive.

My major concern here is that if this kind of misdemeanours and racial prejudice has been extended to taxi drivers from African extraction, then, it is, indeed, a monumental shame and a threat to social order. To these taxi drivers, I am going to pose this question asked by the legendry John Mason; Do you look at the horizon and see an opportunity or do you look into the distance and fear a problem? Fear is a poor chisel that carve out your tomorrows and if you are looking at your future from the position of fear, bear in mind that that view is inaccurate and distorted.

I hereby implore Galway City Council and National Action Plan against Racism to checkmate these people as soon as possible from further sowing this seed of discord that would ultimately trigger more tension and unnecessary fears.

In conclusion, “Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, and that in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.”Martin Luther King, Jr.

Chris Obiajulu Okafor

……hails from Ogwashi-uku, Delta State, Nigeria but lives

Galway Ireland: chrisokafor@myself.com