japan trip, visiting renewable and sustainable industries

received award from rotary international to spend four weeks in japan. will be meeting with a number of individuals within the renewable industries. sharing information on technologies, programs, and regulatory from the u.s. and vice versa. below are the cities that we will be touring.
View Larger Map after the exchange, i'll be headed down to southern japan, where we used to live. spend some time catching up with old friends and do some scuba diving while down there.

electric vehicles--what policies do we need to stimulate the industry?

new report released on policy needs and industry drivers (no pun intended) to build electric vehicle (ev) market in the us.

specifically looks at midwestern us states and makes direct recommendations to advancing the industries to foster this emerging market.

coal-fired power plant timelapse video

brought to you by mid-america power, in council bluffs, iowa--green house gases...\

Coal Power Plant Timelapse from Jeff Grewe on Vimeo.

native american tribe in new mexico to produce and sell solar, wind, and geothermal energy

the jemez pueblo is investing in infrastructure for green energy production.

the $22M project has an anticipated 20-year return on investment and will serve to generate power for self-sufficiency and export to surrounding areas.

the project will produce much needed revenues for the tribe and may be seen as a model for other groups to consider for positive income generation and sustainable power generation.

google not going to censor searches in china any longer

google vp drummond (no, not from diff'rent strokes fame), announced on the google blog yesterday that the giant search engine would no longer be restricting and censoring google searches on google.cn, as previously mandated by the chinese government.

i feel that this is a bold step in the right direction for the california-based controller of information. a few years back, when google launched operations in china and announced they would be restricting search hit content to appease the country's government, i was quite troubled--morally and ethically. i believe that information is power and people should have access to virtually unbound information. to me, it is a basic human right.

i am pleased to see g. taking a stand and a turn back in the direction of the higher moral road of freedom of information. three cheers.

speyside scotch

after scotch-touring around the isle of islay for the past year, i have ventured over to a fine 12-year single malt hailing from speyside: pebble beach, from lombard whisky.

a robust nose, rich caramel color, well-rounded flavor with rich, earthy, tobacco finish. an enjoyable dram.

cap and trade--the basics

good video on basics of "cap and trade."  made by same group who produced "the story of stuff."

happy new year

spent new year's in a remote hut, tucked away near salida, co with some fantastic friends.

the weather was fine, snow playful and challenging, and the glowing full moon on the 31st was amazing.

happy 2010 to you and yours!