As the U.S. Senate today debates whether to bar the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases, it's worth considering what would happen if every country in the world failed to pass laws and policies curbing the use of fossil fuels. The latest International Energy Outlook, an annual forecast by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, provides a cautionary "what if" for the global energy future if current policies remain unchanged. Driven by population and economic growth in developing countries, the world in 2035 would be more dependent on fossil fuels than ever, ... Read More
The Ghost Harbor at Santa Rosalillita
June 8, 2010 • By • Leave a Comment
Voyage of Kiri blogger Kristian Beadle visits a development where plans for a yachters' paradise failed, opening up opportunities for conservationists. Location: At the beach in Punta San Andres, two hours south of Cataviña. Although the last 10 miles driving here were bumpy and dusty, the majority of the road was freshly paved (and widened) to accommodate the influx of fancy yachts that would have been transported on the road across the peninsula. Yachts ... on a road? I also thought it was a strange idea. Conditions: Our shack with three walls is remarkably good shelter from the ... Read More
Standing in Line to Cap the Spill
June 8, 2010 • By • 4 Comments
In his long career, James Dehlsen has started and sold several green-energy companies and played an important role in making wind- and ocean-powered electrical generation commercially viable. So when BP's Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, it wasn't long before Dehlsen started thinking about ways to cap a broken well that was spewing crude oil and gas 5,000 feet under water. "It was very much driven by the enormity of the potential catastrophe and just trying to think about what might be different solutions," says Dehlsen, CEO of Ecomerit ... Read More
Cataviña and the Water-Collecting Cacti
June 4, 2010 • By • 3 Comments
Voyage of Kiri writer Kristian Beadle is amazed by the lushness of a Mexico desert and learns the real value of water management. Location: Near the town of Cataviña, central Baja, in one of the most ecologically diverse deserts in the whole world, the Valle de los Cirios. Conditions: Dark silhouettes of 40-foot-tall cardon cacti lay in front of the bright setting sun. The blooming desert was buzzing with bees and hummingbirds, but they are now asleep. Discussion: Our jaws dropped in amazement as the landscape changed from barren coastal bluffs to a desert with lush flora. Although ... Read More
Observatories in a Remote National Park
June 1, 2010 • By • Leave a Comment
High above two coastlines, Kristian Beadle looks for clues about the climate. Location: Sierra San Pedro Martir, an alpine national park in the middle of the Baja peninsula, at a campsite surrounded by pine trees and chunks of snow, 8,000 feet above sea level. Conditions: Cold! The sun just set behind the trees and a chill is setting in. The open-air fire is keeping our feet warm. Discussion: From the top of the astronomical observatory, we could see the outline of the Sea of Cortez to the east and faint glimmers of the Pacific Ocean to the west. "It has been a little hazy these ... Read More